Rising from the Ashes
by Esm3rald
Summary: "Fawkes has granted me a second chance and I won't waste it being trapped in my past nightmares. Just like a phoenix, I am reborn from the ashes of my old life and from now on, I have to forget who I used to be and really become Amanda Gilbert." Damon/FemHarry. NEW CHAPTER POSTED!
1. Prologue

_**READ THIS. IT'S IMPORTANT**__**:**_

_**Harry is a girl in this story(not changed into a girl, just imagine that Lily and James Potter had a girl instead of a boy). So this will be a Het fiction. HP1-7 is the same except for the final battle and the epilogue.**_

_**FemHarry will be the Petrova Doppelgänger in this story but Elena will still be present in the story. This because the story is supposed to revolve around Amanda(FemHarry) because she is supposed to be the main character but since Elena in the show is the Petrova Doppelgänger, everything revolves around her. It's because of this that Amanda became the Petrova Doppelgänger. Since I didn't want to eliminate Elena from the story completely, Elena remains in the story without her being the main character. Elena and Amanda in this story are twins and they **__**look almost identical.**_ Elena looks like herself while Amanda looks like Elena but with emerald green eyes and curly hair. Katherine is identical to Amanda, this means that she has green eyes and curly hair too. I repeat, ELENA IS NOT A DOPPELGANGER OF KATHERINE, she's simply Amanda's twin.

_**I hope you like it anyway. There will be no love triangle, I hate it in the show and I don't like Stefan anyway so I won't ever write about him and Amanda together. Stefan will be in love with her but she will be in love with Damon and only Damon. There will be Stefan/Elena almost from the start though Stefan for most of the story will love – read obsess over – Amanda even when he will fall for Elena . This means that Stefan will be very jealous of her and Damon. And Elena will love both Stefan and Damon like in the show – namely she will be obsessed with Stefan but she will want Damon too even if she doesn't want to admit it – and she will be jealous of Amanda because of it. Yeah, I know it sounds like a love square or something but not where it counts, namely the relationship between Damon and Amanda. The two of them will only love each other. Damon won't love Elena like in the show because he will fall for Amanda and we know that once Damon falls in love, he's the most loyal person there is.**_

_**If you love Stefan, I'm not sure you'll like this story very much. I know that he has good qualities too but most of the time I see Stefan as an arrogant, manipulative, conceited, self-absorbed, self-righteous, whiny, selfish and spoiled brat but this is just my opinion.**_

_**And Elena too – no matter how much I want Damon and Elena together – sometimes I just found her very manipulative and judgmental when it comes to Damon while she sees Stefan as someone who can do no wrong no matter how much crap he has put her through in season 3. So just to be clear Stefan and Elena will be described as I see them without it becoming 'character bashing'.**_

_**Summary:"Fawkes has granted me a second chance and I won't waste it being trapped in my past nightmares. Just like a phoenix, I am reborn from the ashes of my old life and from now on, I have to forget who I used to be and really become Amanda Gilbert." Damon/Amanda.**_

_**Pairings: Damon/Amanda(slow moving), Stefan/Amanda(one-sided), Stefan/Elena, Damon/Elena(one-sided). The Canon pairings are Tyler/Vicky, Jeremy/Vicky, Matt/Caroline, Tyler/Caroline, Jeremy/Anna, **__**Bonnie/Jeremy, Alaric/Jenna. Past Matt/Amanda. **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter nor The Vampire Diaries, I just like to write stories about these characters.**_

**Whoever is interested to see my livejournal where I post all my fanfictions, the link is: ****:** esm3rald. livejournal. com (without the spaces)

**PROLOGUE**

_**August 2008**_

_"After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."_

**_(J.K. Rowling - Albus Dumbledore -_****_in 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone')_**

_Dear Diary_

_It's already been two months. Two months since the final battle. Two months since I found myself in this new reality. A reality when I'm not the girl-who-lived but someone completely different. Here I am just a normal, ordinary teenage girl, at least as far as other people know. I still have no idea how I got here, but I guess, with magic, everything's possible._

_I don't know why I decided to start keeping a diary now when I have never felt the need to before. Maybe because I can't talk to anyone about who and what I really am. How could they understand? How could they accept that I'm not the girl they knew? At least not entirely._

_Everything began the night of the final battle. It should have been the end, instead it all started that night._

_It's amazing how everything is still so clear in my mind: I was standing there, wand in hand, facing him. The battle lasted almost three hours, with us throwing spells against each other without room to breathe. And then, finally, Voldemort was at my feet, ready to be destroyed, forever._

_I was ready to throw the Avada Kedavra, the killing curse, and everything would be over. But I should have known that Voldemort wouldn't give in, never, even one step away from the end._

_The tip of my wand was lit, controlled by my will. I was so focused on the spell that I didn't realize that Voldemort had still his wand in hand and that he was preparing to throw a spell too._

_An instant later the green light of the third unforgivable curse was hitting Voldemort square in the chest. The Dark Lord hit the ground, eyes wide open, finally defeated._

_I stood on my feet for a few seconds, relieved. And then, too late, I realized that a curse had hit me too when I started to feel a strange tingle near my heart and lungs. Soon it grew in intensity until the pain became unbearable. I fell on the ground, finding it hard to breathe. I began to gasp, desperately searching for oxygen. I never felt pain such as this. Not even the Cruciatus was comparable to that. It was inside of me, into my chest. It was like a myriad of rats devouring me from the inside._

_An instant later I realized what type of curse Voldemort hurled at me. It was called 'Voratum' because it devours you from the inside, slowly and painfully. No counter-curse exists. It was one of the darkest spells in existence and it was one of His favorite to use against muggles and traitors._

_It was very obvious why Voldemort had chosen precisely this curse. He wanted a slow and painful death for me, knowing that I couldn't do anything to change the situation I was in. He wanted me to feel defenseless and helpless. It was his last act of revenge._

_I started to laugh hysterically then, desperately. So this was it? This was how it was going to end? After everything that I've been through, this was what I was destined to? To die alone, in the middle of the forbidden forest, on the ground, after hours of unbearable pain? It wasn't fair. I wasn't ready to die, not yet. Not when I hadn't really lived. My life had been a constant fight for survival since I was one year old. And keep fighting, keep hoping that I would, one day, win this fight, what has brought me? I couldn't resign myself to this fate, even if I knew, the outcome was inevitable. I wanted to live, I wanted it with my whole being._

_It was in that moment that Fawkes appeared, maybe drawn by my silent wish. I thought he was gone, never to return, when Dumbledore died. But here he was, once again trying to save my life. Except that this time there was no open wound he could heal with his tears. I didn't think there was anything he could do to save me._

_He was so close to me, I could feel the warmth of his fire-feathers on my skin. He perched on my chest, exactly where the __pain was and then he caught fire, enveloping me in his flames._

_From this moment on, everything became blurry. I wasn't sure anymore what was going on around me. I couldn't see anything past the light emanating from Fawkes, I couldn't feel anything except the warm, reassuring presence of the flames, around and inside of me._

_I don't know for how long I stayed awake, enveloped by the flames of the phoenix,__all I know is that at some point I fainted and that when I woke up Fawkes was gone and everything was different._

_Harrie Potter, the girl-who-lived, no longer exists, not in this word, in her place there is only Amanda Gilbert, descending from one of the families that founded Mystic Falls in 1864, together with the Lockwoods, the Forbes, the Fells and the Salvatores._

_That night I woke up in an house I've never been before but that I knew like the palm of my hand. I found myself in a new town, a town I never even knew existed, but one that I knew every corner of._

_I was still me but I had new memories, of a life I've never lived, but that felt like it was mine._

_I woke up in a new body, similar and different from my old one. Every scar I acquired while living with the Dursleys is gone, even my lightning bolt one. I have olive skin tone, sharper facial features and high cheekbones. My eyes aren't light green anymore but emerald green, exactly the color of the Avada Kedavra and in this new reality I don't need glasses. My dark brown hair, at one time so unmanageable, are now perfectly curly and cascading down my back in long locks._

_I'm even taller than I ever was, 5 feet 6 inches against the 5 feet 2 that I was before. I have a lithe body but I'm not skin and bones anymore._

_And strangest thing of all: when Fawkes has sacrificed himself to give me a new life that night, I've lost my magic because the body I found myself in isn't a magical one. I'm not even sure that magic exists in this world really, but something of the phoenix's inner magic stayed with me. I'm stronger than a normal human, I can heal quicker than normal from injuries, I can summon and control fire and I can move objects with my mind. __And of course, like a phoenix, my tears can heal any open wound._

_I guess I'm not completely human and I'm certainly not normal - I guess I will never be normal - but my life is the most simple and normal that I've ever had, no megalomaniac wizard trying to kill me and no one telling me how I have to live my life. No more expectations, no more fear – for me or the people that I care about - no more responsibilities on my shoulders, no war, no more fame – just me and this simple life that I'm leading. It's just so easy here. It's the life that I've always wanted, with family, friends and high school. And I'm happier that I thought I could ever be._

_The most amazing thing is that I have a family here, a real family. Two amazing parents who love me, a twin sister, a little brother and even an aunt. Of all the times I tried to imagine how my life would have been like after killing Voldemort, this possibility has never occurred to me. It's like all my dreams have been granted all at once._

_And yet sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night – usually because of some nightmare – and I am convinced that I'm still in the dorms, at Hogwarts._ _But I'll never see Hogwarts again. Hogwarts, the Wizarding World in general, doesn't exist here._ _And a part of me can't help but miss that World, because – even if briefly – it was my World too._

_But I have to stop thinking about the past. __After this entry, I won't mention my old life ever again. __Everything that I was, everything that I've lived before, doesn't matter now. Fawkes has granted me a second chance and I won't waste it being trapped in my past nightmares. Just like a phoenix, I am reborn from the ashes of my old life and from now on, I have to forget who I used to be and really become Amanda Gilbert._

**P.S. I just wanted to clarify some things: Amanda in this story will be stronger than a normal human but that doesn't mean that she's as strong as a vampire, not even a newborn. It just means that she's stronger than a normal human. The same thing goes for the 'heal quicker than normal from injuries' thing. She doesn't heal immediately from a wound, she just heals quicker. Think about Buffy, it's kind of the same thing. And talking about Buffy, Amanda's blood will be special, not only because it's essential to break the curse but also because it's more powerful and tastier than any others, just like a slayer's blood is better than anything else for a vampire in BtVS.**

**Just one last thing: since Harry Potter was able to fight the Imperius Curse and compulsion it's kind of like the same thing and Bill Forbes was immune to it because he had a strong will, Amanda will be able to do the same thing but only when a vampire orders her to do something she doesn't want to do. The other aspects of the compulsion - dream manipulation and erasing memories - may or may not work on her, you'll have to see for yourself.**

**- Seems like Fawkes is actually a 'he'... I didn't know sorry, I'm Italian and in the italian version of the books 'Fawkes' is called 'Fanny' that is a female name so I thought the Phoenix was female! I had to change every pronoun about it that there was in this chapter but now everything is all right! -**


	2. Chapter 1 - PILOT

**_Here's the first chapter, hope you like it!_**

**Whoever is interested to see my livejournal where I post all my fanfictions, the link is: ****:** esm3rald. livejournal. com (without the spaces)

**Chapter 1**

**PILOT**

_**September 2009**_

_"We must try not to sink beneath our anguish, but battle on."_

**_(J.K. Rowling - Albus Dumbledore - in 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince')_**

_Dear Diary _

_I'm starting junior year today, first day of a new year. __I wish I had more time to come to terms with my parents death, even if I don't think all the time in the world would be enough to accept it. However I know it's time to face the real world once again, willing or not. I'm not ready, I don't think I will ever be, the pain is still too fresh, but I have to try to go back to normal, __even if it seems like an impossible task right now__, if not for me, at least for the family that I still have left. I have to try to get better for them__. They are already hurting, they don't need my pain and my guilt to weight on them as well. They don't deserve it. And I have to try to help Jeremy as well because I fear that If I don't, he's going to destroy himself and I can't let that happen, I couldn't forgive myself If I let it happen. _

_It's because of this that today will be different, it has to be different. Today I will smile and it will be believable. That smile will say: "I'm fine, thank you!", "Yes, I feel so much better" and maybe I will even start believing it myself. I will no longer be the sad little girl who lost her parents. I will go back to the person I was before, the person everyone knew before. It's the only way I'll make it through._

Amanda finished the last sentence and then closed her diary, a long sigh escaping her parted lips. She was sitting on the windowsill, staring outside, her long legs gathered in front of her chest, her diary resting on her knees. Pouring her thoughts on paper always helped her clear her mind and today was not an exception. She stood up from the windowsill she was sitting on and reached her dresser. There was a mirror above it, full of pictures in all its surface and her gaze was immediately attracted to it. There were photos of her with Jeremy and Elena together with their parents, smiling widely at the camera and hugging each other. She wondered if she would ever be able to smile like that ever again, so carefree and full of life. It seemed a lifetime ago, instead they had been taken just an year ago. She shook her head and looked at her reflection instead. She was wearing her favorite long green halter top and black skinny jeans that accentuated her slender and athletic figure to perfection. A pair of black ankle boots and a black leather jacket completed her outfit. The green of her top accentuated her emerald green eyes but not even all the make up in the world could entirely cover the purple shadows underneath them – clear sign of her lack of sleep lately – or her blank, almost lifeless gaze. She was pale, her usually perfect olive tone appearing almost sallow today. Her shiny dark brown hair were cascading down her shoulders and back in long curls, framing her face perfectly. She was the only one in the family to have green eyes, both Elena and Jeremy had chocolate eyes, like their parents. Only her uncle John had clear eyes but his were light blue. Even if her and Elena were twins and they were almost identical in appearence, personality wise they were polar opposites. The 'real' Amanda Gilbert, the person that existed before she came here, was the epitome of the popular high school cheerleader, the one with a hot football player as a boyfriend. The one whose only concerns are boys, friends and looks. Every guy in school wanted her and every girl wanted to be her. For Amanda, physical appearance would have been one of the most important things, especially on the first day of school. She was the typical Queen Bee, the social butterfly, the one who didn't care much about school and rules in general, the one who never miss a party. When she was send in this reality, she had obtained Amanda's personality too and for all intents and purposes she had become her. And, to be honest, she had fun being that girl, never having had the opportunity before then to be a normal, high school girl. Elena too was popular and a cheerleader but was also the type of girl who always follow the rules, that never gets in trouble, who never missed a curfew and always delivered the school work on time. She was the perfect daughter and the perfect student, the one that always does what she's told to, while Amanda was often sarcastic, always spoke her mind and did what she wanted. Or at least it was like that until a few months ago, before the accident. Everything that was so important to her before the accident, now seemed so petty and stupid. But she had made an effort today none than less because she had swore to herself that morning that she would at least try to go back to normal. Maybe in time she would be able to return to be that girl again. She liked that girl, in spite of everything.

"Amy!" A voice from downstairs roused her from her thoughts. It was her Aunt Jenna. She shook her head and after having grasped her bag, she run down the stairs and found herself in the kitchen, Elena was already there, sipping her coffee. "Good morning Aunt Jenna, 'Lena." Elena smiled at her in response.

"Morning honey. How about a toast? I can make toasts." She said a little frantic. She was more than a little nervous, always worrying that she wasn't a fit guardian for her, Elena and Jeremy. Amanda smiled a little, personally she thought Jenna had done an amazing job taking care of them. In all honesty, she had been her life saving, she didn't know what she would have done if Jenna wasn't here. She was young and she was still in college but she was doing all she could to be there for them, even knowing that no one could replace their parents.

"It's all about the coffee Aunt Jenna." Elena answered amused.

"Yeah, coffee's fine! Don't worry!" She answered, trying to reassure her. "Hey Jer!" She said then, noticing her little brother appearing in the kitchen. Jeremy looked at her half a second then shook her head and decided she wasn't worth the effort. He poured himself a cup of coffee, ignoring everyone in the room. Amanda looked at him, both sad and hurt. Sometimes she thought Jeremy blamed her for their parents' death. And maybe he was right, maybe it was her fault, if she hadn't been so selfish maybe…

"Your first day of school and I'm totally unprepared. Lunch money?" Aunt Jenna's frantic words brought her back to the present. Jeremy took the money from her hands without saying a word.

"I'm good Aunt Jenna, don't worry about it." Elena answered and Amanda nodded in agreement.

"Anything else? A number two pencil? What am I missing?'" Amanda looked at Elena with a smirk and shook her head at her.

"Don't you have a big presentation today?" Elena asked her, smiling too at their Aunt's antics.

"I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at…now. Crap!"

"Then go. We'll be fine." Amanda ordered her, gesturing with her hand for her to go. Jenna started to pick up all her things scattered on the table and then run out of the room at top speed. Amanda looked at her brother, shoulders hunched and hood lowered in front of his eyes. "You okay?" she asked worried.

Jeremy glared irritated at her and answered curtly "Don't start" before he too got out of the room without another word.

Amanda sighed and shared a look with Elena who too looked worried. She continued to sip her coffee, watching absentmindedly the news. It seemed that the previous night a couple had been killed by a wild animal, just outside Mystic Falls, near the woods. How weird. She had never heard of animal attacks in Mystic Falls before.

A horn from outside brought her out of her thoughts. Their friend Bonnie had arrived. She picked up her bag from the chair she had put it before and then with Elena they were rushing outside. Bonnie Bennett, together with Caroline Forbes, were her best friends in this reality. They couldn't completely replace, of course, the place that Ron and Hermione occupied in her heart but she was really close to them. According to her memories they knew each other since they were in diapers and they were best friends since forever. She was really close to them, even if her friendship with Caroline wasn't always easy because of the rivalry that there had always been between the two of them. Elena was particularly close to Bonnie, but a little less close to Caroline.

Bonnie was very pretty with a wonderful bronze skin color, hazel eyes and long black hair. She was wearing a light purple pullover with skinny jeans and converse with a black and purple scarf. She reached her side quickly and she was about to get inside the vehicle when she noticed a crow perched on a lamp post and it was staring right at her. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought this crow was an animagus. But no, it wasn't possible. She wasn't in that world anymore. She shook her head, trying to shake that thought off her mind. It was just a crow and it was _not_ staring at her. Elena touched her shoulder to get her to move. Finally they both got inside the car and began making their way to school, Bonnie on the driver seat.

"So, grams is telling me I'm a witch." Bonnie said from the seat next to her, Elena was sitting in the backseat. "Our ancestors were from Salem, witches and all that, I know, crazy, but she's going on and on about it, and I'm like, put this woman in a home already! But then I started thinking, I predicted Obama and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands. . ." But Amanda wasn't really listening to her, staring vacantly out the window. "Amy and Elena? Back in the car…"

"I did it again, didn't I? I'm sorry Bonnie. You were saying that…"

"That I'm a witch now." Bonnie said with a too serious expression. It was obvious that she didn't believe for one minute what her grandmother had told her. Amanda froze for a second. Was it possible that witches existed in this reality too and that Bonnie was one? On the other end, it was more plausible that her grandmother had simply had too much to drink and hers were just delusions.

"Right. Then predict something about us." Elena said with an ironic smile, finally having taken part in the conversation.

"I see…" Right in that moment a big black bird collided with the windshield and for a moment she lost control of the car. "What was that? Oh my god, are you both okay? Amanda?"

"It's okay, I'm fine." Amanda said even if she knew she didn't look fine. She was still too uncomfortable inside a moving a car. She couldn't help it.

"It was like a bird or something. It came out of nowhere." Bonnie shook her head, confused.

"Really, it's fine. I can't be freaked out by cars for the rest of my life." Amy responded, sighing. She was smiling but her smile was forced. It could have fooled anyone else maybe but Bonnie was her best friend. She knew her too well. Elena looked shaken too. She hadn't been inside the car that night but that didn't mean she was less scared of cars because of it. Not after their parents' car accident.

To cheer them up, Bonnie said "I predict this year is going to be kick ass. All the sad and dark times are over and you two are going to be beyond happy."

Amanda looked at her sister with a smile, a real hopeful smile this time. She really hoped Bonnie was right.

The drive after that was pretty uneventful and in no time at all they arrived at school. Mystic Falls was a little town after all.

Once Bonnie had parked the car, they started making their way inside. "Major lack of male real estate. Look at the shower curtain on Kelly Beech. She looks like a hot — can I still say "tranny mess"?" Bonnie filled the silence while they were making their way towards their lockers.

"No, that's over." Elena answered her with a laugh.  
"Ahh, find a man, coin a phrase. It's a busy year." Bonnie exclaimed with fake seriousness. Amanda listened to the conversation amused, thinking that maybe going back to normal wouldn't be too difficult after all.

"So what we have first period?" Amanda asked Bonnie, with whom she shared most of her classes, while they were about to reach their lockers.

"History with Mr Tanner." She answered her with a slight scowl.

"Oh great. Perfect way to start a school year." She commented sarcastically. Both Elena and Bonnie agreed with her. Mr Tanner was a real bastard. He took pleasure in tormenting his students and humiliated them. In her opinion, he was a much more arrogant and much less brave version of Professor Snape. He was a nightmare. Oh, and his favorite target? The Cheerleading squad.

Once having reached their lockets, they spotted an handsome blonde guy with baby blue eyes, standing in front of his locker, listening to music and with a miserable expression on his face. He was Matt, her ex-boyfriend. Amanda waved at him but Matt just looked at her for a second before going back to ignoring her. She sighed, she wasn't really expecting something different. They knew each other since they were little and they had been together since freshman year and he had been the only guy she had ever had sex with. Last year being with him had been like a breath of fresh air. He was the kind of guy that you just wish for your first time: attentive, caring, gentle. He was exactly what she needed at the time. While at Hogwarts, she had never thought much about boys and relationships. She just couldn't because she was too busy fighting to survive to worry about these things that are so normal for other girls. So, when she came here, being with Matt was just what she needed to feel like a normal girl for once. But when her parents had died everything just changed for her. She stayed with him for a few more months after that but it just didn't seem to work anymore. She knew that Matt had been in love with her, he probably still was, and she did love him but she realized that she wasn't in love with him - she never really was - and it wasn't fair for either of them to keep stringing him along. So she had broken up with him. And now Matt had started acting like she didn't even exist. She didn't blame him of course, breaking up with him must have come out of nowhere for him but it still hurt.

"He hates me." Amanda commented miserable. Elena looked at her with a 'what did you expect it would happen?' look. Elena never understood why she had broken up with him and she obviously hadn't approved of her choice.

"That's not hate. That's 'you dumped me, but I'm too cool to show it, but secretly I'm listening to Air Supply's greatest hits.'" Bonnie answered her with her usual irony. Amanda smiled half-heartedly at that, grateful to Bonnie for trying to make her feel better.

Their conversation was soon interrupted by Caroline. Caroline was beautiful, with shiny blonde hair, blue eyes and golden skin. And of course a perfect body to match. And yet she was strangely insecure and often jealous of her.

"Amy, Elena! oh my God!" Their blonde best friend said with a dramatic tone. She then proceeded to hug her and Elena while keep commenting "How are you? Oh, it's so good to see you both. How are they? Are they good?" She said, turning towards Bonnie.

"Caroline, We're right here. And we're fine. Thank you." Amanda answered for the both of them, a little exasperated.

"Really?"

"Yes. Much better."

"Oh, you poor thing." Caroline continued like Amanda hadn't talked. Then proceeded to hug her again for good measure .

"Okay Caroline." Amanda said, patting her friend on her shoulder while rolling her eyes at Bonnie and her sister.

"Oh! Okay, see you guys later?" She run away, not waiting for an answer.

"No comment." Amanda said drily. Elena nodded in agreement.

"I'm not going to say anything." Bonnie answered. Amanda shook her head and laughed.

Right in that moment a really handsome guy appeared directly in their line of vision. He was obviously new since neither of them had ever seen him before. He had light brown hair and a pale complexion. His eyes were obscured by a pair of Ray bans. He was wearing loose jeans and a black leather jacket that covered a hoodie. He entered the school office, probably to submit the entry forms.

"Hold up, who's this?" Bonnie asked interested.

"He's very handsome." Elena commented from her left. Amanda looked at her sister and noticed that she was looking intently at the new guy, clearly interested in him.

"All I see it's back." Amanda answered with a shrug, not really interested in the new comer.

"It's a hot back." Bonnie said in response. "Uhm, I sense Seattle. And he plays the guitar." Bonnie continued, a mock look of concentration on her face. Amanda laughed at her antics while Elena asked "You're really going to run this whole psychic thing into the ground, huh?"

"Pretty much." Bonnie answered with a smirk. They both shook her head, amused by her answer.

"Jeremy, good batch, man." They heard suddenly and at once they turned in the direction of the boys' bathroom. They noticed Jeremy going inside and Amanda decided that now was the ideal moment to talk to his brother. "I got this." She said to Elena when she noticed that her sister was already about to move in the direction of the bathrooms. Elena nodded at her, a worried look on her face.

Once inside the boys' bathroom, she instantly noticed Jeremy putting eyewash in his eyes and understood at once that he was high. She shook her head saddened by her little brother's behavior lately.

"Great, it's the first day of school and you're stoned."

"No, I'm not." Jeremy answered her petulantly.

"Where is it? It's on you?" She started to check if he had anything inside his pockets but Jeremy moved away abruptly.

"Stop it. You need to chill yourself all right?"

"Chill myself? What is that, stoner talk? Dude, you are so cool."

"Look, stop! I don't have anything on me. Are you crazy?" Jeremy said, annoyed.

"You haven't seen crazy, Jeremy! I gave you a summer pass, but I am done watching you destroy yourself. Jeremy, I know who you are. And it's not this person. So don't be this person. I know that you're still grieving but you can't keep going on like this. Our parents wouldn't have wanted that. I certainly don't want this for you. So this is going to stop right now." She finished fiercely. But it didn't seem to have any effect on Jeremy that just shook her off and said "I don't need this" before going out in a huff.

Amanda sighed discomforted. She didn't know what to do to help her brother get better.

She got out of the bathroom herself and collided against a firm chest. She looked up and saw that it was the new boy. He wasn't wearing his sunglasses anymore so his face was completely unobscured now. He had hazel eyes, a strong jaw and perpetually knitted brows. He was certainly hot, but a little too broody for her taste.

"Uh, pardon me. Um. . .is this the men's room?" the guy asked, looking at her a little strangely.

"Yes. Um, I was just, Um—I was just—It's a long story. Just. . ." She stuttered, more than a little embarrassed. She tried to pass but find herself in front of the new guy, that he had probably moved to make her pass. At the end, after some other times that the same thing happened, she was finally able to pass. She headed towards the class without a backward glance, this little incident with the new guy already far away on her mind. She was too worried about her brother in that moment to really think about anything else. When the bell rang, she made her way to history class and took place in her usual seat. Too soon for her tastes, Mr Tanner made her way inside the class. He took his favorite place in front of the desk and began yet another lecture about Mystic Falls' historical events. "Once our home state of Virginia joined confederacy in 1861, it created a tremendous amount of tension within the state. People in Virginia's northwest region had different ideals than those from the traditional deep south. Then Virginia divided in 1863 with the northwest region joining the union."

Suddenly, her phone vibrating distracted her from the lecture. It was from Bonnie: HAWT-E. STARING U, it said. Amanda decided to check then and in fact the new guy was staring right at her. She turned her head away fast and frowned slightly, wondering why he was staring at her so intently. Amanda frowned, really hoping that she was wrong in thinking that the new student was interested in her because it could cause problems between her and her sister, even if Amanda herself wasn't particularly interested in him.

As soon as school was over for the day, Amanda decided to make her way to the local cemetery, Elena having decided to go to the grill with Bonnie and Caroline. Amanda would have joined them after but she needed to visit her parents and spend some time alone with her thoughts. She kneeled in front of the tombstone, putting two red roses on the ground. 'To live in the hearts of those we love is never to die' was engraved upon it. She caressed the words slightly with her fingertips, her mind suddenly going to another cemetery, another town, another life. If she closed her eyes, she could almost feel the snow drenching her knees through the dress, the icy wind ruffling her hair, the snowflakes cascading down her form.

"_Th__e __last enemy__that shall be__destroyed is death" _she whispered to herself. At the time she hadn't understood what that meant but now she did. Death was an enemy because it took away from you the people you love but if you kept on remembering those you lost, the loved ones stayed alive inside of you. So, somehow, death is conquered. Conquered though, never destroyed. She smiled sadly, gentle tears cascading down her cheeks.

She retrieved her diary from her bag, the silent urge to write impossible to resist.

_'Dear Diary' _She wrote, her hand trembling slightly._ '__I made it through the day. I must have said, "I'm fine, thanks," at least thirty-seven times. And I didn't mean it once. But no one noticed. When someone asks, "How are you?" They really don't want an answer._'

She was suddenly interrupted by a crow suddenly perched on the tombstone. It was the same crow from that morning, Amanda was sure of that.

"Ok. Hi, bird. That's not creepy or anything. Shoo." She tried to chase it away with an hand but it didn't budge. "You're a stubborn little thing uhm? Why are you following me?" She said aloud, realizing a moment later that she was talking to a bird. She shook her head then whispered "You're not an animagus, are you?" The crow kept gazing at her, unmoving. Then suddenly fog started to form around her, covering in little time the tombstones and the hard ground. She shivered, she hated the fog, it reminded her of the dementors, what used to be her worst fear.

"Okay, this is getting weird now." She commented aloud. She picked up her bag that she had put on the ground when she had kneeled and decided it was time to leave.

She didn't noticed the dark figure standing behind a tomb, watching her every move. It was the shape of a tall man but everything about him was impossible to distinguish because of the fog.

She started to run when suddenly her foot got caught in a root and she tripped, falling hard on the ground. She started to get up, limping a little. "You okay?" she heard then from in front of her. She looked up directly in the face of the new guy. "Were you following me?" she asked a little suspiciously.

"No, I, uh, I just — I saw you fall."

"Uh-huh, and you just happened to be hanging out in a cemetery." She answered drily, not at all convinced by his words.

"I'm visiting. I have family here." New guy answered defensively.

Amanda winced at that. "Oh. Wow. Tactless. I'm sorry. It's the fog, It's making me foggy. And then back there, there was this - this bird, and it was all very Hitchcock for a second. That is the bird movie, right, the Hitchcock? I'm Amanda, Amanda Gilbert but everybody calls me Amy." She apologized, holding out her hand for him to shake.

"I'm Stefan." He introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you Stefan. We have history together right?"

"And English and French." Stefan said with a little smile. "Right." She answered, looking at him a little strangely.

Stefan came closer to her and pulled a leaf out of her hair. Amanda smiled and thanked him. In that moment she noticed the big ring he had on his finger. It was made of silver and it had a blue stone embedded on it.

"Nice ring." She said, maybe a little sarcastic.

"Oh. Um, It's a family ring, yeah. I'm kinda stuck with it. It's weird, huh?" Stefan answered a little uncomfortably, playing slightly with it.

"No, no. It's just… I mean, there are rings and then…there's that." Amanda joked lightly. Truthfully she was a little curious about that ring. She could easily believe it was a family heirloom but she had the impression that it was more than that. She felt like there was more about Stefan that met the eye. He was something more than a new high school student and she was absolutely certain that he wasn't being completely truthful with her. And that made her wary of him. Maybe she was exaggerating a little but she couldn't bring herself to trust him. It was a gut feeling and usually her instincts didn't betray her.

"Did you hurt yourself?" He asked out of the blue, making her jump slightly.

"What?" she asked, looking at him strangely.

"Did you hurt yourself?" He repeated, looking at her with a strange intensity that was more than a little frightening.

"Oh. Uhm… I don't know." Amanda decided to check, pulling up her pant leg and she noticed a deep cut on her knee, gushing blood. She hadn't even noticed. It stung a little but it was nothing compared to the pain she was used to.

"Oh, look at that. I didn't even noticed." She said to him sheepishly.

Stefan turned his head around with a sudden movement. Amanda looked at him, now a little freaked out by his strange behavior.

"Are you okay?" She asked, trying to understand what had him so scared. Because the rigid posture he was assuming right now was pretty telling. He was scared…of what, she had no idea.

"You should go, take care of that." He said, still no looking at her, his tone of voice rigid and controlled.

"Oh no, really. It's nothing." She looked at her leg one more time and then turned to look at him but he was gone. Disappeared into thin air.

"Okay. Weird." She said aloud to herself. Stefan Salvatore was definitely hiding something.

She made her way to her car and drove home, her meeting with Stefan repeating itself in her mind. There was just something about him, she couldn't put her finger on. He seemed like a good guy, polite, kind but the way he looked at her, so intently, it seemed like he knew her even if Amanda was pretty sure she had never seen him before in her life. And the fact that he had shown interest in her and only her was more than a little weird. She wouldn't have found it so strange if he had shown interest in her sister too, but no, nothing, he hadn't even tried to talk to Elena. He hadn't tried to talk with anyone else period, even going as far as remembering the classes they had together when she, on the other end, remembered they had history together just because Bonnie send her that message about him looking at her. And she was pretty sure he knew her name already. And then, there was the fact that he was, coincidentally, at the cemetery at the same time as her. She didn't really believe it was a coincidence. Mystic Falls was a pretty small town, sure, but the cemetery wasn't exactly a public meeting place. And the way he had almost seemed scared when he had seen the blood on her leg? She knew, of course, that there were people who get sick at the sight of blood but usually they tend to faint or something, they don't suddenly disappear into thin air because of it. Maybe she was a little bit paranoid after what happened to her in the past but she couldn't help but find his behavior suspicious. She had to admit, if only to herself, that she wasn't very good at reading people – Snape being her gravest misjudgment in character – and that often in the past her prejudices against certain people didn't help her to see things clearly. She now realized that while she trusted blindly some people, others were seen by her in the worst way possible. Sirius for example. She loved him so much that for a long time, she couldn't see his many faults but now, in hindsight, she realized that while his love for her wasn't questionable, his actions were. Sirius had used her – probably without realizing – to fill the void that the loss of his best friends left in him. And what about Remus? His inaction during his youth, while his friends tortured Snape in front of his very eyes, just for fun, should have made her realize how often his behavior was that of a coward, too afraid to lose his friends to stand up for what was right. And Dumbledore, the way he used her without a second thought to win the war… None of them were perfect in the least but she had been too blind by her love for them to see what was right in front of her. She had forgave them a long time ago, but the facts remained. Her capacity to love unconditionally was what made her herself but it was also a double-edged sword. She had trusted too easily and because of that, a lot of people had died. It was because of that that she needed to tread carefully. Not jump to conclusions but also avoid trusting him too easily because he could be dangerous. Because there was one thing she was absolutely sure of: Stefan wasn't the ordinary new student he was trying to pass for.

She was so lost in her musings that she didn't realize she drove on autopilot and that she had been sitting in her car in front of her house for a good ten minutes. She made her way inside and called for Jenna and Jeremy. "I'm home!" Nobody answered though so she climbed up the stairs and entered her room. She decided to take a quick shower and changed her clothes, putting on a pair of blue jeans and a silver halter top to go with it plus her black leather jacket. A pair of black flats completed the outfit.

She was ready to meet Elena, Bonnie and Caroline at the Grill. She descended the stairs and warned Jenna of her plans for the evening.

"Ok, have fun. Wait, I got this. Don't stay out late, it's a school night." Jenna said half-serious. Amanda laughed and mocked nodded. "Well done, Aunt Jenna."

She opened the door, ready to go out but she stopped in her tracks when she found Stefan on the threshold, a sheepish expression on his face.

"Stefan!" Amanda exclaimed surprised, her tone questioning. He wasn't following her, was he? 'Don't jump to conclusions.' She repeated mentally to herself.

"Sorry, I was about to knock. I wanted to apologize for my disappearing act earlier. I know it was. . . strange." Stefan explained, broody expression firmly in place. Amanda smiled mentally. Would he kill him to smile every once in a while? The mysterious, melancholic act was getting old real fast.

"Don't worry, I get it. Blood makes you squeamish." She said with a peppy smile. Stefan frowned, his forehead suddenly crossed by deep lines.

"Um, something like that. How's your leg?" Amanda observed him intently, trying to gauge his expression. He wasn't lying exactly but she realized that what he was telling her wasn't the exact truth either.

"Oh it's fine. Just a scratch. How did you know where I live?" She asked, suddenly realizing what was wrong in that picture. Luckily she was able to sound curious instead of suspicious.

"It's a small town. I asked the first person I saw." She didn't believe him but let it pass. "Um, I thought you might want this back." Stefan suddenly hands her her diary and Amanda was barely able to stifle a gasp. It was a fortune her only entry about her old world was safely hidden and that she hadn't written anything else about it or she could have been in trouble.

"Oh, I must have dropped it. I-thank you." She grabbed it, embarrassed. What if he had read it? Stefan probably noticed her expression because he said: "Don't worry. I didn't… read it." She looked at him, trying to figure out if he was lying but she couldn't read his expression. He was very good at masking his feelings.

"No? Why not? Most people would have." Amanda asked him, trying to figure out his intentions.

"Well, I wouldn't want anyone to read mine." Stefan exclaimed earnestly. She had the feeling though that he was also trying to impress her.

"You keep a journal?" she asked surprised. Most guys would be embarrassed to share something like this but she had the impression that he wanted to appear as the sensible type or something. She imagined that that could work with girls more impressionable than her. Unfortunately for him the last time she had met someone who kept a diary, he turned out to be the younger version of Lord Voldemort, who had put a piece of his soul inside it and had freed a basilisk on school ground. Of course that didn't concern Stefan in the least but still…

"Yeah, if I don't write it down, I forget it. Memories are too important." 'And sometimes all you want to do is forget about them…' she finished to herself but she didn't share the feeling out loud.

She suddenly noticed the time and realized she was already late for her meeting with her best friends. "Oh crap!" She cursed unintentionally.

"You were going somewhere?" Stefan asked, noticed her discomfort.

"Yeah, I'm meeting some friends." She said then added to be polite. "Do you want to come?"

Stefan nodded, smiling. 'He knows how to smile then…' Amanda thought, a little sarcastically. Expect for Snape, she hadn't ever met someone who smiled so little. But Snape was justified. Really, what did he have to smile about? He had a crappy childhood, the only friend he had and with whom he had fallen in love, ended up hating his guts and whose death he was unintentionally responsible for and he spent the rest of his life making up for that single mistake, never forgetting about her, never stopped loving her, his devotion to her so heartbreakingly powerful that she wondered how she could ever have believed he didn't feel anything besides hate and disdain. And let's not forget the fact that all his sacrifices brought him only death at the hands – or better say 'fangs'- of Nagini. Amanda shivered, remembering Snape's final moments in that shack in vivid colors. She shook her head to chase away those dark thoughts and came back to the present.

They walked all the way to the Grill in silence and entered. She immediately noticed Bonnie talking to Matt and Caroline and Elena, sitting together on a table not too far from them. Both Matt and Caroline's faces fell at the sight of her accompanied by Stefan. Caroline had obviously set her eyes on him and Matt was jealous and obviously still not over her. 'Great. This is really going to be an awkward evening. I'm not even interested in Stefan.' Amanda looked at Elena then and noticed that her sister too looked disappointed but that she was trying to hide it. Amanda decided there and then to try to shift Stefan's attention away from her and towards her sister.

She decided to go talk to Matt first and made her way towards him, Stefan following silently behind her.

"Hi, I'm Matt. Nice to meet you." Matt extended his hand towards Stefan, not the least bit sincere. Amanda mentally rolled her eyes. Guys and their macho acts.

"Hi. Stefan." Stefan introduced himself politely. "Ehy." Amanda interjected, trying to diffuse the awkward tension. "Ehy." Matt merely said in return. Soon after that Bonnie, Stefan and Amanda made their way to her sister's table and Caroline began to shoot Stefan question after question about his life before moving to Mystic Falls.

"So you were born in Mystic Falls?"

"Mm-Hmm. And moved when I was still young." Stefan answered patiently.

"Parents?" Bonnie asked this time.

"My parents passed away." He answered toneless.

"I'm sorry. Any siblings?" Elena asked, a sympathetic expression on her face.

"None that I talk to. I live with my uncle." Amanda noticed immediately the rigid posture he had assumed at her question. It was pretty obvious that something really big had happened between Stefan and this sibling of his. Whatever it was, it must be something really bad for them to stop talking altogether.

"So Stefan, if you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow." Caroline interjected, not so subtly asking Stefan out. "It's a back to school thing at the falls." Bonnie explained for Stefan's benefit. Stefan didn't even seem to notice Caroline's hint because he immediately asked "Are you going?" addressing her. Amanda wasn't exactly in the mood to party but she didn't have the time to refuse because Bonnie answered for her. "Of course she is." Bonnie said, looking at Amanda. Amanda had the sudden desire to kick Bonnie under the table for her interference but restrained herself. She glared at her and then look at her sister who had a dejected look on her face. Bonnie noticed her look and looked at Elena too. Bonnie stared at her and then nodded, having understood too that Elena liked Stefan.

They spent a little more time talking but then they realized that it was getting late. They stood up for their chairs, intending to return home when she suddenly realized that Stefan was looking at her expectantly, probably hoping to escort her home. Amanda bit her lower lip uncomfortably and thought fast about an excuse.

"Listen, I need to talk to Matt. You should go. Maybe Elena, you could give Stefan a lift. We walk here and since the boarding house it's pretty far from here, you could help him out." She knew she wasn't playing fair, manipulating her sister just so she wouldn't be forced to spend more time with Stefan and cause him to misjudge her intentions towards him, but she wasn't the least bit comfortable in him thinking they were out on a date or something and anyway Elena liked Stefan so she was technically doing something good for her sister too. And she really needed to talk to Matt anyway so she wasn't exactly lying. Elena looked at her with a smile and Amanda smirked at her. Stefan looked at her one last time before following her sister out of the room. Amanda really hoped it would help Stefan realize that she wasn't the only girl in Mystic Falls. She didn't like one bit the way he had completely ignore both her sister and her friends. For all his politeness, he hadn't behaved exactly like a gentleman tonight. Bonnie and Caroline too said goodbye to her and then she was finally alone. As far as one could be alone in a bar full of people anyway. Matt had just finished his shift so she made her way hesitantly towards him.

"Listen Matt" She started, once she was standing right in front of him. "I think you have misinterpreted the situation tonight. Whatever you think it's going on between Stefan and I, well… trust me, it's not like that at all. I'm not interested in him, not like that anyway. And I know that I don't actually have to explain anything to you because we're broken up but… I don't want to hurt you. But I don't want you to think that there is a possibility of us going back together either though, because there isn't." She faltered slightly at his hurt expression but she knew he needed to hear that. "I care about you a lot. You're one of the most important people in my life but I'm not in love with you. I'm sorry. And even if there's nothing going on between Stefan and me, well it doesn't mean that I won't fall in love with someone else in the future and you need to accept it." She hold back a sob, trying not cry but finding it difficult not to. She really wished she had fallen in love with him when they were together. He was such a sweet, unassuming guy, every girls' dream of a perfect boyfriend but the truth was that she had seen so much in her short life that she didn't think someone who was so good and so pure would ever really be able to understand her. Matt's life hadn't certainly been an easy one but he didn't really understand real pain and she really hoped that he would never have to find out. "You're an amazing guy Matt and you're going to find someone who's really worthy of you." She broke down and cry at the end and Matt, being Matt, even with a broken heart, reached down to her and hug her.

"I will always love you Amy, you know that. But I understand. And I hope we can go back to be friends. I can't bear the thought of losing you."

Amanda laughed through her tears, relieved. "Of course you won't lose me. I can't stand that thought either. We were best friends Matt, a bond like that doesn't just go away." She hugged him fiercely, feeling safe and warm in his arms like she had always felt. After a last, goodbye kiss, they parted ways.

She crossed the bar and was just about to reach the door when she collided against a very strong chest. Said chest belong to a guy that was entering the Grill just that moment. Amanda fell hard on the ground and everything inside her bag ended up scattered on the floor. "Ow!" She exclaimed, rubbing her back slightly.

"Everything okay?" the guy asked her, a worried tone in his voice. She raised her eyes, meeting the most gorgeous blue eyes she had ever seen. The man she had clashed against was without a doubt the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes upon. More handsome than the charming, attractive Tom Riddle that she had met in her second year at Hogwarts - and how wrong was it that the most attractive man she had ever seen until now was also the younger version of her worst enemy? -. He had dark raven hair, slightly mussed, a pale complexion and a sexy smirk plastered on his luscious lips. His body too, for what she was able to see, was a work of art, encased in black jeans, black t-shirt and leather jacket. Everything about him screamed bad boy.

She realized that she was staring at him like an idiot so she picked herself up from the floor and regained some of her dignity. "Yes, thank you. I'm fine." She said with the most indifferent voice she could master. She then proceeded to collect her things. Mr. Tall, Dark and Sexy decided to lend a hand and together they were able to recover everything that had ended up on the floor.

"Thank you." She said politely.

"Oh, my pleasure. I'm always available to help a beautiful girl out." He answered with a smirk. Amanda blushed slightly at the compliment and the guy's smirk widened.

"Well, uhm… I should go now." She said, not too eager to leave but knowing she had to. "Bye." She then rushed outside, not waiting for a reply.

All the way home, she couldn't stop thinking about him. Only later, encased in the warm comforter of her bed, she realized that the beautiful guy had on his finger an identical ring to the one she had noticed Stefan wearing.

* * *

The next morning, Amanda was writing on her diary again. She had, like almost every night since last summer, relived the memory of her parents' car accident. It was still a mystery how she had been able to survive that night but it was _her_ they were talking about, she was the-girl-who-lived, the one that always miraculously survive, why that time had to be different? Like always, other people had died in her place while she was always the one alive to tell the tale. She hated that. Really, really hated that. It was almost like she had to pay a price for being alive. And that price was the lives of the people she loved. It wasn't fair. Did she not pay enough?

She closed her tired eyes with a sigh – she had slept very little that night – and clashed her head slightly against the glass window. Why her life couldn't ever be normal? Why, every time her life seemed to go the right way, everything would just fall apart? She shook her head at those thoughts, now wasn't the time to feel sorry for herself. She had to go to school and she needed to move now or she would be late, not really a great way to start the semester since it was the second day and all.

All too soon she was seated in Tanner's class, the class she shared with Bonnie, Matt and new guy Stefan.

"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war in our very own Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle? Ms. Bennett?" Tanner was asking, his usual arrogant attitude firmly in place. Bonnie, who was evidently daydreaming during the lecture, startled slightly at the question and then answered in her perfected vapid cheerleader tone: "Um..a lot? I'm not sure. Like a whole lot."

"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Ms. Bennett." Tanner said and Amanda glared at the back of his head, as soon as he turned his attention to Matt. Why couldn't he ever be nice? Would he kill him to try to be a little less of a jerk? "Mr. Donovan? Would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded jock stereotype?"

"It's ok, Mr. Tanner, I'm cool with it." She smiled at Matt's answer but soon stopped when the same question was turned towards her. "Hmm. Amanda? Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events?"

Amanda shook her head "I really have no idea." She answered with an ironic smile, not at all willing to be targeted by Mr Tanner.

"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Amanda. But the personal excuses ended with summer break."

Amanda glared at him. Tanner's casual mention of her parents' death infuriated her beyond belief. How could he? "There were 346 casualties. Unless you're counting local civilians." A voice answered from the back. Stefan Salvatore. "That's correct. Mister. . .?"  
"Salvatore."  
"Salvatore. Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?"  
"Distant."

"Well, very good. Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle."  
"Actually, there were 27, sir. Confederate soldiers, they fired on the church, believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong. It was a night of great loss. The founder's archives are, uh, stored in civil hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts. Mr. Tanner."

"Hmm." Was Tanner's only reply. It was obvious Stefan had taken him completely by surprise with his knowledge.  
Amanda turned towards Stefan and smiled at him in thanks. Stefan nodded, smiling at her in return. She turned her head away then, thinking about what just happened. How did Stefan know about this information? Maybe he was some kind of history fanatic. She really didn't know what to think. Part of her wanted to really believe that he was simply a new student, nothing more but deep down she knew that that wasn't the case. What did he want from her? Why, every time he looked at her, she had the impression that he was looking at some ghost from his past?

Amanda left the classroom without looking at him, still too confused to try to engage him in conversation.

She arrived at home with the intent to forget all about the mystery that was Stefan Salvatore and trying to relax before the party. She decided to take a warm bath since she had all the time in the world to get ready.

After an hour immersed in the bathtub, she dried and curled her hair before picking up what to wear. Nothing too fancy, just a jean skirt and a grey halter top with her black leather jacket and a pair of black high boots. Her make-up was simple, just a thin layer of blush, mascara and light red lip gloss.

After making sure that Elena too was ready, they said goodbye to Jenna and took the car to reach the party in the woods.

Once at the party, they immediately went in search of Bonnie. Their best friend was near the keg of beer and was sipping slowly from a paper glass. Bonnie smiled as soon as she saw them and offered each one a glass of beer.

Like she had imagined Bonnie's topic of conversation was – surprise, surprise – Stefan Salvatore. Elena too seemed eager to talk about him, even if her sister was less obvious about it. The only one not particularly interested about the new arrival in their little town of Mystic Falls, seemed to be herself.

"Just admit it, Amy." Bonnie said, maybe a little exasperated. Amy sighed and reluctantly admitted. "Oh, ok, so he's a little pretty." She shrugged, thinking that yes, Stefan Salvatore was obviously handsome but what it did matter if he was lying to her?

"He has that romance novel stare." Bonnie stated, a little dreamy.

"Stefan looked deep into her eyes, piercing her very soul." Elena joked, teasing her a little. Bonnie bumped her shoulder lightly and Amy laughed out loud at that.

"So, where is he?" Bonnie asked Amanda then.

"I don't know. You tell me, you're the psychic one." She exclaimed, trying to change the subject. Who knows, maybe Bonnie was really psychic.  
"Right, I forgot. Ok, so give me a sec. Grams says I have to concentrate."  
"Wait, you need a crystal ball." Elena exclaimed with a grin. Amanda, deciding to play along, looked around her, trying to find something who could pass for a crystal ball and decided for a bottle of bear, giving it to her with a little, amused smile. Bonnie took it from her, touching Amy's hand in the process. Bonnie spaced out for a while, worrying Amy a little.

Bonnie came back to her senses soon after though, abruptly pulling her hand back and away from her.  
"Bonnie, everything ok?" She asked, now a little worried.

"That was weird. When I touched you, I saw a crow."  
"What?" Amy asked surprised. That couldn't be a coincidence. Elena was looking between the two of them with a frown on her face, trying to understand what was happening.  
"A crow. There was fog, a man." Bonnie continued and Amy now realized that Bonnie's grandmother was probably telling the truth about the witch stuff. That was really something she wasn't expecting. "I'm drunk. It's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it. Yeah? Ok, I'm gonna get a refill." Bonnie left soon after, obviously scared and confused about what had just happened. Amy looked at her and wondered how she could help her. Elena looked at her with a confused shrug, obviously not knowing how to react to what had just happened.  
Amanda turned out around with a sigh and almost collided against Stefan who was standing just behind her.

"Hi."Stefan greeted her and Amy nodded at him, looking at him a little strangely. She noticed that he completely ignored her sister who was standing right beside her. **  
"**I did it again, didn't I?" Stefan exclaimed with an apologetic look.  
**"**Yeah."  
**"**I'm sorry. You're upset about something."  
**"**Oh, uh, no, it's- it's just Bonnie. She's... You know what? Never mind. You're. . .here." She exclaimed surprised. He didn't exactly look like the party type.  
**"**I'm here." Amy smiled at him, a little embarrassed. She had the impression that he had come to the party just for her.

"I'm going to go… somewhere else… yeah.." Elena exclaimed with an awkward gesture of the hand, pointing vaguely behind her. Amanda tried to stop her for leaving but Elena left before she could utter a single word.

Stefan asked her if she wanted to take a walk around and Amanda, not to be rude, accepted. They ended up over a small bridge near the falls. Amy looked at the water below her and shivered, remembering the accident.

"You know, you're kind of the talk of the town." She exclaimed, trying to think about something else but also trying to find out more about him.

"Am I?"  
"Mm-Hmm. Mysterious new guy, oh, yeah."  
"Well, you have the mysterious thing going, too. Twinged in sadness." Amy looked at him surprised. "What makes you think that I'm sad?" She asked, suspicious again. She thought she was hiding her sadness pretty well, things considered.  
"Well, we did meet in a graveyard."

"Right." She didn't believe him for a minute. "Well, no, technically we met in the men's room. You don't want to know, it's. . . .it's not exactly party chit-chat." The truth was that she really didn't want to talk about it. Not with him anyway, he was a complete stranger.  
"Well, I've never really been very good at, uh, chit-chat." He gazed intently at her and Amy felt like a sort of pressure inside her head, not dissimilar to the one she used to feel during the Occlumency lessons with Snape. However it was something different. It was like he was trying to convince her to talk. It was very weak though and she was easily able to overcome the silent order. After having completely shaken off the Imperious curse, she didn't think there was anything able to force her to do anything. That though proved her theory right. Stefan was not a normal, new student. He was something more. To prevent him to found out that his mind control - or whatever he was trying to do – hadn't worked, she answered his question reluctantly. "Last spring. . my parents' car drove off of a bridge into the lake. And I was in the backseat and I survived, but. . .they didn't. So that's my story." She didn't look at him though, not wanting to risk another attempt from his part to control her mind.  
"You won't be sad forever, Amy." Amanda nodded, still not looking at him. Thinking about that night was too hard. She had known parents for the first time since she was one year old in her old world and the idea that she was an orphan once again almost made her feel like she was back to the start. She wondered if she was destined to relieve the same things over and over again even with different circumstances. The thought was very depressing.

She looked around her, trying to distract herself from those painful thoughts and clashed against Bonnie's gaze. Bonnie winked at her and then diverted her gaze towards Matt who was standing right beside her. It was obvious that the both of them were observing her and Stefan. Amanda mentally sighed, she didn't want Matt to misunderstand the situation.

"I like Bonnie, she seems like a good friend." Stefan exclaimed, effectively bringing her attention back to him.  
Amanda smiled at that. "Best friend in the world." She exclaimed with a nod.  
"And Matt, he can't seem to, uh, take his eyes off of us." _Ah, so he noticed._ "Matt is that friend since childhood that you start dating because you owe it to yourself to see if he can be more." She tried to explain, not even knowing why she was telling him all of this.

"And?" Stefan asked her, obviously curious.  
Amanda shrugged "And then my parents died, and everything changed. Anyway, Matt and I, together we just, I don't know, it wasn't, um. . .it wasn't. . ." She was trying to find the right word to describe them but she couldn't seem to find her.  
"Passionate?" Stefan finished for her. Amanda looked at him surprised. "No. No, it wasn't passionate. . ."

She suddenly noticed Stefan's eyes were outlined a strange red. "Are you okay? Your eyes…" Stefan turned around suddenly and exclaimed, a little panicked "Oh, um... Yeah, no. It's, um, it's nothing. Um, are you thirsty? I'm gonna get us a drink." And left without a backward glance. Amanda shrugged her shoulders, bewildered. This was the second time Stefan disappeared without an apparent reason.  
Amanda decided to joined Elena who was standing alone near the edge of the forest.

"Ehy." Elena nodded but she wasn't looking at her and Amanda had a vague idea why. "Listen, I don't like Stefan but I have the impression that you do like him so why don't you try to talk to him, you know, spend some time with him?"

"Why should I? He's obviously interested in you. Guys are always interested in you. First Matt, now Stefan…"

"What? I didn't even know you liked Matt…"

"Yeah, well. It's not like I had an actual chance with him. He always had eyes only for you."

"'Lena… I'm sorry… I didn't know…"

"Didn't know or didn't care? Because you've never have been the most selfless person in the world. You always did and took what you wanted, without caring about other people's opinions or feelings."

Amanda felt like Elena just slapped her. Was she right? Did she really act so selfishly?

"I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean…" Elena tried to apologized but Amanda stopped her. "No, it's okay. You're right. Before our parents died, I was often shallow and self-centered, too caught up in boys and parties to really care about what was going on around me. I didn't know that you liked Matt but I should have known, I'm your sister, I'm supposed to notice those things but I didn't. But I swear, If I had known… I would never have dated him in the first place. But I promise you this, I'm never going to behave that selfish ever again. I learned my lesson, after what happened to our parents… If I hadn't gone to that stupid bonfire that night, our parents would have still been alive. It's my fault that they're dead…"

"No, Amy. It's not your fault. I'm sorry, I don't really think what I had said. Yes, you could be shallow and self-centered and selfish at times but so could I. The death of our parents changed the both of us. I'm sure that, just like me, you realized that popularity and parties are not the most important things in the world. But before, it was okay if you cared about that. I cared about popularity too. That doesn't make you a bad person. I mean, we're high school girls, we're supposed to care about those things. Our parents' death wasn't your fault. It was an accident, nothing more. And I thank every day the fact that at least you survived. And for what I said about Matt and Stefan, I was jealous, simple as that. It's not your fault that boys are drawn to you like a moth to a flame."

"You're exaggerating now. And anyway, like I said, I'm not interested in Stefan so you should totally go for it. You're an amazing person Elena, Stefan would be a complete idiot not to want you."

Elena smiled at her and hugged her. "I'm so, so sorry about what I said. I didn't mean any of it."

"Don't worry about it." Amanda hugged her in return and then noticed Stefan not too far from them, talking with – or better said running away from – Caroline.

"Look. There he is. Go talk to him. Save him from Caroline." Elena nodded shyly and then reached Stefan with a smile. Amanda looked at them and noticed immediately that Stefan was trying to brush her off too and that he was looking for someone, probably her. Amanda sighed and decided to reach them.

"Ehy." Stefan immediately said when he noticed her. "Ehy Stefan, can I talk to you for a second?" "Sure. Excuse me Elena." Elena nodded with a frown.

When they were enough distant from her sister for them to talk freely, Amanda exclaimed "Listen, I really hope I didn't give you the wrong impression but… uhm… I want us to be friends… friends and nothing more. I ended things with Matt not too long ago and I'm not ready to start a new relationship." Stefan tried to interrupt her but she raised a hand for him to stop. "No, wait. Hear me out. You're very nice and handsome and all but I'm good with being single right now, I hope you understand. But you should totally date my sister. You two would be perfect together. She's always nice to everyone, much nicer than me anyway, caring, compassionate, smart. And you're totally her type."

"I'm… I don't know…" Stefan ran a hand through his hair embarrassed.

"Come on, you can't tell me you don't like her. Everybody likes Elena."

"It's not that. Your sister seems a nice girl but she's not the one I'm interested in…"

Amanda wanted to groan aloud at that but restrained herself. God, was he persistent. "I'm sure that if you get to know her, you'll change your mind. Trust me."

Stefan nodded but continued to look at her with a wounded expression on his face. Amanda ignored it and said "Come on, go to her. She's there all alone…" Stefan looked at her one last time before making his way towards her sister. Elena smiled shyly at him and started talking. Stefan seemed rigid and awkward beside her at first but was soon participating in the conversation and smiling from time to time.

_Ah, I knew it. _She thought with a satisfied smile but that smile was soon erased from her face when she noticed her brother, drunk out of his ass, making his way inside the woods. "God, you gotta be kidding me!" She exclaimed to herself before going after him. "Jeremy, Jeremy!" She called after him but her little brother ignored her. "Jeremy, where the hell are you going?"  
"I don't want to hear it!" Jeremy said without stopping or looking at her. Amanda kept following him, while in the meantime trying not to trip because of some protruding roots. "Yeah, well, too bad!" She exclaimed, a little short of breath. It was Jeremy the one who tripped though, over something that was not a root. It was Vicky's body. "Vicki? No! Oh, my god, it's Vicki!" Jeremy screamed, panicked. Vicky was bleeding heavily and had a big wound on her neck that looked like a bite. _What the hell?_ "Come on, Jeremy, help me lift her. We have to call for help." Together they grab Vicky – Jeremy by the arms and Amanda by the legs – and made their way out of the woods. "Help!" She cried out "Somebody call 911". "Vicki? Vicki, what the hell?!" It was Matt who had reached them in the meantime and helped her put Vicky gently on the ground. "What happened to her?" That was Tyler, the one Vicky was dating or something along those lines. "I don't know, we found her like this in the woods."  
"Somebody, call an ambulance!" Matt ordered panicked. A large crowd was beginning to form around Vicky, everybody curious about what had happened to her. Another animal attack? "Everybody back up, give her some space!" exclaimed in the end Tyler, exasperated.  
"It's her neck. Something bit her. She's losing a lot of blood." Elena, that in the meantime had joined her together with Stefan, exclaimed. Amanda nodded at her, having noticed the same thing. Amanda averted her eyes from Vicky for a second and noticed Stefan leaving without nobody noticing, given all the commotion. She shook her head, realizing that now was really not the time to think about Stefan's strange behavior. She turned to look at Vicky and noticed that someone had put some piece of cloth over the wound to slow the bleeding.

"Vicki, Vicki, come on, open your eyes, look at me." Matt was saying frantically, over and over.

Amanda really wished she could use her tears to heal her but they were too many people around her and anyway it would appear really strange for a wound like that to heal completely and in no time at all. But she really, really hated the feeling of being useless.

_How long does it takes for the ambulance to arrive?_

Finally after another ten minutes the ambulance arrived. Amanda looked at Matt leaving in the ambulance with Vicky, still not fully understanding what had happened that night. Was it really an animal the one who attacked Vicky, because if she didn't know any better, she would think…. But no, it wasn't possible right? Not here, not in this world.

"Hey. We're gonna go to the Grill, wait for news." Bonnie said to her, bringing her out of her thoughts.  
"Yeah. Me and Elena have to take Jeremy home but I'll join you soon after that."  
"Amy, there's no way I'm psychic. I know that. But whatever I saw, or I think I saw, I have this feeling..." Bonnie said uncertain.  
"What kind of feeling?" Amanda asked, now willing to believe whatever Bonnie was trying to tell her.  
"That it's just the beginning." Amanda frowned at that, now really worried. The beginning of what? What the hell was going on?

She noticed Jeremy not far from her, sipping from a beer bottle and observing the cops that they were controlling the area all around them, with a dejected look on his face. Amanda decided to join him and talk to him. She knew that he was very worried about Vicky. Hell, Amanda was worried about her even if she didn't like her very much.

"You ok? I called Jenna, she's on her way." Jeremy didn't answer her, didn't even acknowledged her presence. "Those people in uniforms" She continued, pointing to the cops "last time I checked, they're the police. People are going to stop giving you breaks, Jer. They just don't care anymore. They don't remember that our parents are dead, because they've got their own lives to deal with. The rest of the world has moved on. You should try, too."  
"I've seen you in the cemetery writing in your diary. Is that-is that supposed to be you moving on?" Amanda looked at him, sighing and silently acknowledging that he was right. She wasn't exactly moving on either.  
"Mom and Dad wouldn't have wanted this." She barely said in response.

Soon after that Elena joined them and together they went home. Amanda left soon after though, deciding to wait at the Grill for news. Elena stayed home with Jeremy.

* * *

Meanwhile at the Salvatore Boarding House, Stefan had just got home, worried about what had happened that night and wondering who was responsible for the girl's attack that night. The answer to that question had the face of a very attractive man, a man with hypnotic blue eyes, raven black hair and a pale complexion. The same man that, unbeknownst to Stefan, Amanda had met at the Grill just the day before. A crow suddenly appearing on his line of vision, Stefan turned his head around and noticed him, standing on the balcony, a smirk on his face.

"Damon." He exclaimed, half-surprised, half-irritated.  
"Hello, brother." Damon said, a smirk on his face.

"Crow's a bit much, don't you think?" Stefan looked at Damon, making his way inside Stefan's room and looking around.  
"Wait till you see what I can do with the fog." Damon replied with a proud tone.  
"When'd you get here?"  
"Well, I couldn't miss your first day at school. Your hair's different. I like it."  
"It's been 15 years, Damon."  
"Thank God. I couldn't take another day of the nineties. That horrible grunge look? Did not suit you. Remember, Stefan, it's important to stay away from fads."  
"Why are you here?" Stefan asked, not really expecting a direct answer from him.  
"I miss my little brother."  
"You hate small towns. It's boring. There's nothing for you to do."

"I've managed to keep myself busy."  
"You know, you left that girl alive tonight. That's very clumsy of you."

"Ah. That can be a problem. . ."Damon replied, pretending to be worried. "for you." He finished then, making clear that the fact that he had left Vicky alive that night had not been done at all by chance.  
"Why are you here now?" Stefan asked again, cursing Damon's ability to always ruin everything for him.  
"I could ask you the same question. However, I'm fairly certain your answer can be summed up all into one little word. . .Amanda." Stefan wasn't really surprised by the fact that Damon knew about Amanda's existence. Worried yes, surprised not so much. Damon had an uncanny ability to find out things he wasn't supposed to know. "She took my breath away. Amanda." He said her name again, almost savoring the taste in his mouth. "She's a dead ringer for Katherine. Is it working, Stefan? Being around her, being in her world? Does it make you feel alive?"  
"She's not Katherine." Stefan defended himself, even if her resemblance to Katherine was really what attracted him to her in the first place.  
"Well, let's hope not. We both know how that ended. Tell me something, when's the last time you had something stronger than a squirrel?"  
"I know what you're doing, Damon. It's not gonna work."  
"Yeah? Come on. Don't you crave a little?" Damon began hitting Stefan, provoking him but Stefan had no intention of playing Damon's game.  
"Stop it."  
"Let's do it. Together. I saw a couple girls out there." Damon tried to tempt him. "Or just, let's just cut to the chase, let's just go straight for Amanda."  
"Stop it!" Stefan pleaded, starting to get angry now. And not just at Damon but at himself too because he craved Amanda's blood more than anything. It was the most powerful and delicious scent he had ever felt and it had taken all his self-control that night not to drain her.  
"Imagine what her blood tastes like!" Damon goaded him and kept on hitting him. Stefan felt his face beginning to change, partly because of the hunger at the thought of Amanda's blood and partly because of the rage he felt towards his brother in that moment.  
"I can." Damon finished, clearly imagining the taste of her blood in his mind.**  
**"I said stop!" Stefan, now having lost his patience, ran against Damon with a superhuman leap and threw him out the window. He collided against the pavement, the pieces of glass from the window he just broken, scattered all around, and realized that Damon wasn't there. He got up with difficulty, healing slowly because of his chosen diet. He suddenly heard Damon's voice and turned around, finding Damon leaning nonchalantly against an hedge.

"I was impressed. I give it a six. Missing style, but I was pleasantly surprised. Very good with the whole face- thing. It was good." Damon mocked him, that infuriating smile still on his face.  
"You know, it's all fun and games, Damon, huh? But wherever you go, people die."  
"That's a given." Damon nodded, almost proud of that little fact.  
"Not here. I won't allow it."  
"I take that as an invitation."  
"Damon, please. After all these years, can't we just give it a rest?" Stefan pleaded, trying to convince him but Damon wasn't having none of it.  
"I promised you an eternity of misery." He exclaimed, coming closer to him. "So I'm just keeping my word."

"Just stay away from Amanda." Stefan ordered even knowing that Damon did what Damon wanted and nothing else.

Damon looked at him and then at his hand, faking surprise. "Where's your ring? Oh, yeah, sun's coming up in a couple of hours, and, poof, ashes to ashes." Stefan looked at his hand and realized with horror that he wasn't wearing his ring anymore. Damon laughed and reached out with his hand, the ring resting on it. "Relax. It's right here." Stefan took it slowly from him and put it back on his finger. Suddenly Damon grabbed Stefan by the throat and threw him with great force against the garage behind them. Stefan landed with a thud and a groan. Stefan remained lying on the floor with Damon towering over him.  
"You should know better than to think you're stronger than me. You lost that fight when you stopped feeding on people. I wouldn't try it again." He threatened from above him. Stefan looked at him without saying a word, breathing heavily. They heard a noise from inside the house and Damon, back to smiling again said "I think we woke Zach up. Sorry, Zach." And then he left, Stefan still lying there without moving, watching him walk away.

* * *

Amanda had just taken Jeremy home, Elena deciding to stay home with him, and now was entering the Grill to have some news on Vicky. She spotted Bonnie and Caroline sitting together at a table in the back and made her way towards them. She stopped a moment later though when she realized that the two of them were obviously talking about Stefan's rejection of Caroline. Or better yet, Caroline was complaining and Bonnie was trying to calm her down. She didn't want to eavesdrop but when she heard her name mentioned, she couldn't stop herself.

"Are you sober yet?" she heard Bonnie ask to Caroline. Caroline frowned and she slammed her forehead slightly against the table. "No" She answered with a pout.  
"Keep drinking." Bonnie prompted her, pointing to the cup of coffee in front of them. "I gotta get you home. I gotta get me home."  
"Why didn't he go for me?" Caroline asked then, out of the blue. Bonnie looked at her questioningly. "You know, how come the guys that I want never want me?"  
"I'm not touching that." Bonnie replied with a shake of her head.  
"I'm inappropriate." Caroline ranted to herself "I always say the wrong thing. And... Amanda always says the right thing. She doesn't even try! And he just picks her. And she's always the one that everyone picks, for everything. And I try so hard, and... I'm never the one."

"It's not a competition, Caroline." Bonnie protested  
"Yeah, it is." Caroline argued back "And what's even worse is that Amanda doesn't even care about Stefan. She just brushed him off like it's so normal for her to have every guy's attention so she doesn't care if a cute guy like Stefan wants her because she can have ten guys like him if she wants. I mean, think about her breaking up with Matt. Like it's so easy for a guy like him to come about. And poor Elena… I mean it's so obvious that she's Stefan's second choice and that a word from Amanda would be enough for him to come running back to her. It must be hard, having a twin like her. Someone that just obtains the things you want without lifting a finger."

"Stop it, Care. Now you're just being mean. And anyway you can't know if that's what Stefan really feels." Bonnie tried to defend her but Caroline just rolled her eyes in response. Amanda was deeply hurt by Caroline's words. First Elena and now her. Has she really been so horrible in the past that this was their opinions of her? Amanda wasn't ready to face Caroline right now so she decided that, instead of pretending like she hadn't been listening in on their conversation just now, that she would hide herself in the bathroom until the two of them would leave the Grill.

Twenty minutes later, Amanda was sitting in one of the tables near the bar counter, finally alone, not ready yet to go back home. She took her diary out of her bag and began to write.  
_"Dear Diary. I really thought that I could smile my way through the days and pretend that everything was alright but I couldn't have been more wrong. I had a plan. Going back to the person I was before the accident. Someone without a tragic past or the pain that comes with it. Someone alive. But it's not that easy. The bad things always stay with you. The follow you and you can't escape them, as much as you want to. All you can do is be ready for the good. So when it comes, you accept it without asking too many questions, because you need it. I need it."_

She raised her gaze from the page filled with her writing and noticed the beautiful man from the day before - Damon - sitting on a barstool not far from her, clearly observing her. When he noticed that Amanda had caught him, he smiled and raised his glass towards her. Amanda smiled in response, once again struck by his amazing features. Her eyes left his figure for a moment, distracted by a waitress that had just dropped a glass and when she returned to look at him a moment later, he was gone.

* * *

Stefan, after the encounter with Damon, decided to go check on Amanda and make sure she was okay. When he knocked on the door though, it was not Amanda who answered but her sister Elena.

"Hi Stefan. What are you doing here?" Elena said with a beautiful smile on her face. It was really strange looking at her because of her amazing resemblance to Amanda and hence to Katherine. He had been very surprised when he had found out that Amanda had a twin sister, one who was practically identical to her except for her eyes and her straight hair. It had been strange enough to know that Amanda was the exact copy of Katherine in physical appearance, knowing that there was someone else _almost_ identical to his ex-lover was mindboggling.  
"I know it's late. But, uh. . .I wanted to see Amanda. Make sure she's okay" Stefan noticed immediately Elena's hurt face and he hastened to add "And you of course. To make sure that you're both okay. So, are you? Okay, I mean?"  
"You know, for months, that's all anyone's wondered about me. If I'll be ok." Elena answered with a sad smile and Stefan was once again surprised to notice that it was really easy, talking with her.  
"What do you tell them?"He asked, really interested in the conversation.  
"That I'll be fine." Elena shrugged but it was obvious that the answer was a lie.  
"Do you ever mean it?"  
"Ask me tomorrow." She barely said in response. "Uhm…It's warmer in the house. We can talk inside if you want." She asked him, unsure of his response. Stefan nodded at her and was about to follow her inside when he was stopped by the invisible barrier that prevents every vampire from entering inside a house. "Would you like to come in?" Elena asked him, clearly noticing him still motionless outside.  
"Yes." Stefan entered the house thinking that even if he hadn't gone there to talk to Elena, he found that he didn't mind that so much anyway.


	3. Chapter 2 - THE NIGHT OF THE COMET

**Thanks so much for all the people who read and reviewed my story, and for anyone who put it in the favorites and alerts. I had no idea the answer to this story would be so great! It's unbelievable, thanks so much!**

**I have to say, I'm not really satisfied of this chapter, maybe because I never really liked this episode -except for the Damon/Elena interaction of course -. The rest of the episode is pretty boring, isn't it? Anyway, here it is. I'm really sorry about the wait but I promise I'll try to update faster for the next chapter. This one is a little shorter than the last one, but it's still pretty long. About 10'000 words.**

**About the poll I created a while back, about Severus Snape being in the story, I thought long and hard about it and I read all the reviews you left me with your opinions. I decided in the end that Severus will appear in the story, yes, but only in the episode 'Ghost World' - I think this is the right title, right? -, in season3. I really, really like Snape's character but you're right - for the people who thought so - that he would be very out of place in this story, especially because the parental figures in The Vampire Diaries often end up dead anyway. But I still want a confrontation between him and Amanda and the episode 'Ghost World' is the perfect moment for them to have it. **

**That said, I really hope you'll like this chapter. I really did my best but I'm not very satisfied with it. Tell me what you think by leaving me lots of comments!**

**Chapter 2**

**THE NIGHT OF THE COMET**

_"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, _

_if one only remembers to turn on the light."_

_**(Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban)**_

_Dear Diary_

_after everything that happened yesterday, I should be worried, scared about what this day would bring. And yet, I can't. I've never, in my entire life, backed down from anything thrown in my way and I'm not going to start now. I know that yesterday was just the beginning – of what, I'm not yet certain -, and yet I can't regret the change because – let's face it – my perfect, peaceful life, ended the moment my parents died. Yesterday's happenings have shaken up my life even further but not everything has been bad. I was so focused on my pain and my grief that I'd almost forgotten that I still have so much to be grateful for, so many people still that I love, that I almost took for granted. This is a mistake I'm not going to repeat. Yesterday has been a wakeup call, in more ways than one. And today, for the first time in four months, I feel alive again. I feel that, no matter what's going to happen from now on, as long as I'll have the people I love with me, I will be ready to fight back._

Amanda took a deep, fortifying breath and then smiled. She was ready. She left her room and almost smacked against her aunt, who was looking at herself in the mirror in the hall and trying to decide how to wear her hair today. Amy looked at her amused and curious. Jenna was dressed smart too, what was the occasion?

"Do I look adult? As in respectfully parental?" Her aunt asked her as soon as she noticed her, standing there and observing her.

"Depends on where you're going." Amanda exclaimed with an inquisitive tone.

"Jeremy's parent-teacher conference. Hair up or down?" Jenna put her hair up with an hand to demonstrate and Amanda smirked. "Sexy stewardess". She answered cheekily. Jenna let it down and Amanda laughed. "Boozy housewife" she exclaimed with a not-really sorry expression on her face. Jenna frowned at that. "Up it is then. You're feisty today."

"I feel better; not good yet, but better. So I've decided to go with it. Fly free, walk on the sunshine, and all that stuff. Where are Elena and Jeremy?"

"Jeremy left early. Something about getting to the wood shop early to finish a birdhouse". Amanda looked at her with a raised eyebrow and Jenna sighed. "There is no wood shop, is there?"

"Nope." Amanda was ready to bet Jeremy left early to visit Vicky at the hospital. She couldn't blame him, really. Jeremy was really worried about her yesterday, it was obvious he had deep feelings for her.

"Yeah." Jenna shook her head, obviously berating herself for her naiveté. "Anyway, Elena already left for school and I think it has something to do with the houseguest from last night."

"Stefan was here yesterday? All night?" Amanda couldn't help but be worried. It was true that she was the one to have pushed Stefan in Elena's direction in the first place and really, she didn't think Stefan had any intention of hurting either of them or anyone else really but there was still something about him that nagged her the wrong way and after what happened to Vicky… there was a word wandering inside her head that she didn't have the courage to say out loud but it was there. It seemed absurd and yet… but Stefan was with Elena while Vicky was attacked so it wasn't him… she didn't know what to think.  
"Yep. Your sister seemed really taken by him. He's cute. And very polite." Aunt Jenna's words brought her back to the present. "Unfortunately I don't think he's as interested in her as she is in him. He seemed more interested in knowing where you were."

Amanda rolled her eyes at that. Of course he was. "I think Stefan doesn't really know what he wants. And I really, really hope Elena won't end up getting hurt because of him."

* * *

Amanda was sitting in history class and she could feel Stefan's gaze posed on her. She listened absentmindedly to Tanner's lecture about the Comet that was going to appear in the sky the following night, all the while trying in vain to resist the temptation to turn her head and tell Stefan to _stop_ looking at her. At the end she couldn't ignore him anymore and looked at him, silently sighing to herself. "Originally discovered nearly five centuries ago, it hasn't been over Mystic Falls in over 145 years. Now, the comet will be its brightest right after dusk during tomorrow's celebration." She heard Tanner said while Stefan smiled at her, obviously happy that she had finally decided to return his gaze. "Are we bothering you, Mr. Salvatore? Ms. Gilbert?" Tanner exclaimed out loud, interrupting their staring contest. Amanda didn't know to whom she was supposed to direct her glare, at Stefan for staring at her and prompting her to look at him in return or at Tanner for having humiliated her in front of the entire class, again. She decided to glare at her desk instead, waiting impatiently for the class to end. Luckily for her, it happened a moment later, the ring of the bell interrupting Tanner's lecture for the second time in an hour. Amanda decided that it was time to have a chat with Stefan because if she didn't do something now, Elena will end up getting hurt in the end and she couldn't permit that.

"Stefan, would you mind come with me a moment? I need to talk to you."

"Of course." Stefan smiled at her and reached her side. They left the classroom together and Amanda, taking a deep breath to find the courage to speak, said "You can't keep doing this. The way you're behaving is not right, or fair, towards Elena. You need to stop staring at me or be interested in me, just STOP!" Stefan was about to interrupt her but she ignored him and went on with her rant. "No, listen to me Stefan because I will not repeat myself. If you dare hurt Elena, I swear you will regret it. She's very into you so you need to forget this strange infatuation you have with me and do right by her, is that clear? Aunt Jenna told me that you spent the entire night talking with her. This means that you feel something for her right? Or at least, you're starting to, so leave me alone and think about being with her. She's an amazing girl, and I'm not saying that only because she's my sister and I love her to death, but because it's the simple truth. You won't find a better person than her. Please, Stefan, I'm begging you. Forget about me okay? I'm sure it's not going to be so difficult. You barely know me after all."

Stefan sighed and looked at the ground, a frown marring his forehead. Then, at last, he raised his head and looked deep into her eyes. "You're right. I like spending time with Elena. She's amazing and beautiful and special but…."

"No buts. Promise me that from now on you'll be interested in spending time with me as just your friend and girlfriend's sister, nothing more. Promise me!" Amanda urged him when she noticed him hesitate.

Stefan sighed but then nodded his head, resigned. "I promise."

"Good. Now go to her. Her Trigonometry lesson has just finished. Why don't you accompany her to her locker?" She winked at him and then reached Bonnie and Caroline that were talking about Bonnie's psychic powers. She didn't feel exactly comfortable, talking with Caroline after having heard what she said about her yesterday, but she decided to forget about it. After all Caroline was drunk and upset, not a good combination, for anyone.

"Ehy guys." She said as soon as she reached their side.

"Ehy Amy!" Bonnie smiled at her while Caroline just nodded her head at her. She looked pretty uncomfortable.

"I'm confused. Are you psychic or clairvoyant?" Caroline was asking Bonnie, obviously continuing a previous conversation.  
"Technically, Grams says I'm a witch. My ancestors were these really cool Salem witch chicks or something. Grams tried to explain it all, but she was looped on the liquor so I kinda tuned out. Crazy family, yes. Witches? I don't think so."  
"Yeah, well, feel free to conjure up the name and number of that guy from last night." Caroline said.

"What guy?" Amanda asked curiously.

"This really hot guy I saw yesterday at the Grill." Caroline said dreamily.

"And you don't know who he was?" Amanda asked, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"No, I never saw him before yesterday. He had those amazing blue eyes and dark hair. He was older than us too I think."

_Of course it was him. How many new handsome guys could possibly appear at the Grill, all in the same night?_

"Was he as hot as Caroline describe him Bonnie? Because I wouldn't mind meeting him if he was..." Amanda asked just to know if Bonnie has seen him too. Caroline scowled at that, her competiveness' streak when it came to boys and with everything that had to do with Amanda, rearing her ugly head.  
"I don't know, I didn't see him." Bonnie answered then asked Caroline. "Why didn't you just talk to him?"  
"I don't know. I was drunk." was Caroline's only answer.

The three of them went outside and in that moment Amanda noticed Matt sitting alone at one of the plastic tables that were scattered all over the courtyard.

"There's Matt. Sorry, I have to talk to him, see how's Vicky doing. See you later." She waved at them and reached her ex-boyfriend's side.

"Ehy Matt? So how is Vicky? Is she going to be okay?" She asked him without preambles.

"They're keeping her overnight to make sure there's no infection, but she should be able to come home tomorrow." Matt answered with a soft smile, obviously grateful that she had asked about her sister.  
"That's good news." Amanda said with an optimistic smile.  
Matt nodded, obviously sharing the feeling.  
"And your mom? Did you get in touch with her? Is she coming home?"  
Matt sighed at that. "Called and left a message. She's in Virginia Beach with her boyfriend, so. . .we'll see how long it takes her to come rushing home." Amanda grimaced at that but didn't comment.  
"Vicki's lucky that she's ok." Amanda commented out loud. "I mean, because of all those other animal attacks. Those people have not been as lucky as her." Then she realized how blunt she was been and she winced, immediately apologizing to him.

"It's okay. I know what you meant. Yes, she's been very lucky, and now there's talk of some missing campers."  
"Did she say what kind of animal it was that attacked her?" Amanda finally got to ask the question she was really dying to ask.  
"She said it was a vampire." Matt answered her, a frown of confusion marring his handsome face.  
"What?" Amanda startled at that, her initial suspicions seemingly being confirmed.  
"Yeah, she woke up last night and muttered 'vampire' and then she passed out."  
"Uhm." Amanda didn't know what to say so she stayed silent. Matt, probably taking her silence for disbelief said "I think she was drunk. So, I saw you talk with the new guy last night. I thought you said there was nothing between you two."  
Amanda frowned at that."Matt, I thought we already had this conversation yesterday."  
Matt scowled, uncomfortable and probably a little hurt too."Yeah, you're right. You know, I'm. . .I'm actually gonna go back to the hospital. I want to be there when Vicki wakes up, get the real story about last night."  
"Yes, of course." Amanda smiled sadly at him and let him go.

* * *

After school Amanda, Bonnie, Caroline and Elena were all sitting together at a table outside the Grill.  
"Well, I was talking to Grams, and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom. The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was lots of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity." That was Bonnie. Amanda listened intrigued. Now that she knew Bonnie's grandmother was saying the truth about Bonnie being a witch, she was very interested to listen to what she had to say.  
Of course Caroline had to interject her own opinion, obviously more than a little skeptical of what Bonnie was saying. "Yeah, and then you poured Grams another shot and she told you about the aliens." Caroline said derisively, then turned her attention towards Elena, obviously more interested in what she had to say about her night spent with Stefan "So then what?"  
"So then nothing." Elena said embarrassed.  
"You and Stefan talked all night? There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy feely of any kind?"  
Elena shook her head."Nope. We didn't go there." Her tone was enough for anyone else to understand that she wanted to drop the conversation, but Caroline was not everyone else.  
"Not even a handshake? I mean, Elena, we are your friends. Ok? You are supposed to share the smut." Caroline inquired further.  
"We just talked for hours."  
Caroline looked at her in disbelief "OK, what is with the blockage? Just jump his bones already! Ok, it's easy. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex!"

Amanda laughed at that. Elena shook her head, a little exasperated but it was obvious she was amused too. "Profound." Suddenly a look of determination crossed her face and Elena stood up.  
"Where are you going?" Bonnie and Amanda asked together.  
"Caroline's right. It is easy. If I sit here long enough, I'll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I started the day saying I was going to do." Amanda wished her good luck at that, even if inside she was a little worried about her sister's safety. But she couldn't certainly say to her that she needed to stay away from Stefan after having encouraged her to get to know him. And anyway she had no real proof that Stefan was a vampire, just suspicions and speculations, nothing certain.

Amanda spent another hour with Bonnie and Caroline before heading home.

* * *

Two hours later and there was still no trace of Elena. Amanda tried to call her but she was not answering her phone. At the end, a little worried for her sister's safety, Amanda decided to make her way to the Salvatore Boarding House. She parked her car outside the large mansion before getting out, looking around her in awe. She had never had the possibility before to see the Boarding House, this was the first time she could see it at such a close range. Of course, nothing could compete with Hogwarts Castle but she had to admit that the Boarding House was really beautiful.

Amanda reached the big front door and knocked. When there was no answer, she tried to open the door and found to her surprise that it was already open. She entered a little hesitantly, calling out her sister and Stefan's names, hoping the two of them were inside. She suddenly heard cawing from behind her and turned around. A crow was flying towards her and Amanda lowered her head to avoid it. When she turned around again, she collided against the very attractive man from last night.

"We really should stop meeting like this." He said with a smirk.

Amanda blushed slightly, embarrassed but smiled at him. "Yes, we should." A moment pause during which the two of them looked at each other intently and then Amanda spoke again. "I. . .I'm sorry for barging in. The door was. . .open." She turned around to prove her point but she found the door closed. She frowned, confused and a little suspicious but turned around again, pretending that everything was fine.

"Don't worry about it. I don't mind." Damon said with a flirty tone that was obviously part of his nature.

"Thank you then."

"You're welcome." He looked at her for a second, his amazing blue eyes scrutinizing her and then he spoke again. "Let's see If I can guess your name. You must be Amanda."

Amanda raised an eyebrow at this, surprised that he knew her name. "And how do you know my name exactly?" She asked with a light tone even if inside she was a bit suspicious.  
"Simple. Stefan told me about you. I'm Damon, his older brother." Damon said with a smirk.

Suddenly a flashback of a memory made its way inside Amanda's mind.

_"Oh, you – you just look…" Damon shook his head, confused. "I'm sorry, you just really remind me of someone. I'm Damon."_

"Are you okay?" Damon asked, bringing her back to reality.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." Amanda smirked at him in turn and answered, instantly recovering from whatever it was that she saw. "Oh right. The one he doesn't talk to." She said a little ironic.

"Stefan told you about me?" Damon asked her, obviously taken aback by her words.

"Not exactly. He let it slip, more like."

"Of course." Damon kept silent for a second before offering. "Please, come." Gesturing towards the inside of the house since they were still in the hall. "I'm sure Stefan will be along any second."

"I was looking for my sister actually." And then, noticing the room in which they had just entered, she asked "Wow. This is your living room?"  
"Living room, parlor, seventies auction. It's a little kitschy for my taste." Damon answered and then asked curious. "Your sister?"

"Yes. Elena. Stefan didn't tell you about her too?" Amanda asked, his tone a little sarcastic now.

"I'm afraid not." Damon smirked and continued. He seemed amused by their conversation. "I have to confess that the only reason I know about you is because Stefan warned me to stay away from you."

"Oh, now I understand. The noble Stefan is trying to protect my virtue from his evil older brother."

Damon looked at her surprised and then laughed aloud. "How long have you known my brother exactly?"

"Since the day-before-yesterday I think." Amanda said with a little shrug of her shoulders.

"And you have already realized how he thinks? Consider me impress."

"Please. Stefan is easy to figure out. You, on the other end... not so much."

"So, I deduce from your words that you and him are not... together?" Damon asked, and his tone was a little relieved.

"Me and Stefan? Uhm, no. He's really not my type. He's dating my sister actually." Damon looked surprised at her words but he didn't comment. "It's the reason why I'm here." Amanda continued. "Elena told me that she wanted to come here and talk to Stefan. But neither of them are here, are they?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm the only one at home right now." Damon smirked again. Amanda smiled, amused by their banter. "Well, I'm happy for my little brother." He continued. He didn't sound the least bit sincere though, just sarcastic. "It's about time. For a while there, I never thought he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."  
"The last one?" Amanda asked intrigued.

"Yeah. Katherine. His girlfriend?" Damon answered like it was obvious.

Another flashback.

_"Katherine." The handsome man suddenly in front of her exclaimed. It was Damon._

_"No – um – I" Amanda looked behind her to make sure he was not talking to someone else. "I'm Amanda."_

"Okay, what was that?" Damon's voice once again brought her back to the present. "This is the second time I've seen this blank look on your face in less than two minutes. Am I boring you? Because, let me tell you, I'm not used to people ignoring me. Especially if they're beautiful women." Damon asked her with his usual irony, even if he seemed kind of worried.

"Have we met before?" Amanda asked him out of the blue.

"What?" Now he seemed more than worried.

"Have we met before?" Amanda repeated.

"What makes you think that?" Damon asked, and his tone was suddenly defensive.

"I-I'm sorry. I just... it doesn't matter. Forget I said anything. You were telling me about Katherine..."

Damon looked at her for a long moment, obviously studying her but in the end he just shrugged and smirked again. "Yes, Katherine. The love of Stefan's life." His tone was bitter, angry... jealous even. "So, my brother and your sister haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet."

Amanda shook her head. "Nope. Well, at least as far as I know. But they met just two days ago after all so..."

"Yes, of course. Well, I'm sure it'll come up soon enough. Or maybe he didn't want to tell her because he didn't want her to think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end."

Amanda startled at that, a sudden shiver of warning going down her spine. Was it possible that Stefan was so obsessed with her because she looked like her ex, Katherine? After all, in these strange flashbacks she had a few moments ago, Damon had called her Katherine. Fortunately her troubled thoughts didn't appear on her face. The Occlumency lessons with Snape had become useful for something at the end after all. She smiled at Damon ironically before commenting. "You say it like every relationship is doomed to end."

Damon smirked at her and shrugged. "I'm a fatalist. Hello Stefan." His last words were said in the same tone as the first so for a millisecond Amanda didn't realize what it was that Damon had said. Then, once she understood, she turned around suddenly and came face to face with Stefan, and her sister fortunately was with him. Stefan didn't look pleased to see her with Damon, far from it. _If looks could kill. _She thought with a roll of her eyes.

"Amanda, I didn't know you were coming over." Stefan exclaimed with a tone devoid of feelings.

"I know. I'm sorry, I should have called, I just..." She tried to explain that she came looking for Elena but Damon interrupted her. "Oh, don't be silly. You're welcome any time. Isn't she, Stefan?" Amanda noticed immediately the change of tones in the conversation. Damon had been a mix of sarcastic and flirty before with her but it was obvious that that was just the way he was. He was just teasing her, and Amanda was teasing right back. But now, he had suddenly become harsher somehow, his tone was still sarcastic but not playful. It seemed like he was goading Stefan towards some kind of reaction. And it seemed to be working because Stefan had become suddenly stiffer if that was possible. "Oh and you must be Elena. Amanda was just telling me about you." Damon continued, his attention immediately shifting towards Elena. "I'm Damon, Stefan's brother. It's very nice to meet you." Elena smiled at him, seemingly a little dazed by his good looks, and answered "Nice meeting you too Damon." Damon took her hand in his and shook it. Stefan, Amanda noticed, was glaring at his brother forcefully. Damon, that had obviously noticed this, smirked at him.

Amanda wondered once again what the hell had happened between these two. Why two brothers couldn't seemingly stand to be in the same room together.

"You know, I should break out the family photo albums or some home movies. But. . .I have to warn you. He wasn't always such a looker." Damon was still saying to Elena.

"Thank you for stopping by, Amanda. Nice to see you." Stefan suddenly said, interrupting the conversation.

Amanda looked at him, surprised by his sudden rudeness and decided to tease him a little. "Well, this was certainly a dismissal if I ever heard one."

Stefan frowned, obviously a little embarrassed, but was firm in his decision. "Don't be rude Stefan, Amanda has come here just for you." Damon said mockingly. Amanda glared at him. "Actually, as I was trying to say before being so rudely interrupted by you Damon, is that I was here for my sister. I didn't hear from her in three hours, she wasn't answering her phone either and I was little worried so I decided to come here since I knew that she wanted to see you Stefan."

"Yes, I intended to come here in fact but I met Stefan on the way and we spent the time walking around Mystic Falls." Elena answered with a small smile and a blush.  
"Good, now that I'm finally reunited with my sister, we really should go, right Elena?" Elena answered in the affirmative and Amanda continued. "Well, Damon, it was... interesting meeting you." She said, not sure how to define their encounter. Damon smiled at her amused and taking Amanda's hand in his, he kissed it, looking into her eyes. Amanda tried really hard not to swoon but then chastised herself for almost doing so. "Great meeting you, too, Amanda."

Amanda went to leave but her way was blocked by Stefan, who was still glaring fiercely at Damon.

"Stefan!" Amanda said to get him to move but he didn't seem to hear her. "Stefan!" She called a second time and finally Stefan moved out of the way. Amanda was finally able to reach her sister's side and together they crossed the doorway and left the house.

* * *

Damon watched Amanda go and smirked.

"Great gal. Whoo. She's got spunk." He said just to irritate Stefan. "You, on the other hand, look pooped. Did you over-exert yourself today? Let me guess. . . hospital."  
Stefan glared at him and Damon's smirk grew larger. "Someone had to clean up your mess."  
"Well, were you successful? Did the powers of persuasion work? Remember, if you don't feed properly, none of those little tricks work right."

The lines on Stefan's forehead deepened. "How long was Amanda here?" His tone was both worried and jealous. Damon smirked again, his suspicions confirmed. Stefan obviously had a thing for Amanda, it didn't matter that he was apparently dating her sister. He had probably settled for Elena because Amanda wasn't interested in him. And wasn't that funny? Damon was ready to bet that the only reason Stefan was back in Mystic Falls was because of Amanda, obviously because of her amazing resemblance to Katherine. Fortunately for him Amanda has a twin almost identical to her. Damon had the sudden urge to laugh out loud but he restrained himself.

"Were you worried, Stefan? Scared we may be doomed to repeat the past? Isn't that why you play your little game, "I'm a high school human"?" He taunted him.

"I'm not playing any game."  
Damon rolled his eyes at that. "Of course you are. We both know the closest you'll ever get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it."  
"What kind of game are you playing, Damon?"  
Damon's grin became amused but his tone was dark. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

* * *

Amanda and Elena had returned back home about an hour ago. Amanda, after a lot of questions from Elena about her meeting with Damon, had finally relented and told her what Damon had said about Katherine, Stefan's ex. Elena was now retelling her disappointed hopes to Jenna, who was listening patiently to her. Amanda had tried to explain to her that it didn't mean anything, that everybody had exes in their life, someone that once upon a time had been important to you, and that that didn't mean that Stefan wasn't interested in her or that he was trying to replace Katherine with her - she ignored the little voice in her head, telling her that it was exactly what was happening -. And of course that was also the fact that Damon was not exactly an impartial voice in this since, from what Amanda was able to gather from his tone, it was obvious that Katherine had been important to Damon too. Maybe Katherine was the real reason why they had such a messed up relationship.

"He's on the rebound and has raging family issues." Elena was saying.

"Don't be so melodramatic Elena." Amanda said with a roll of her eyes.  
"Well, at least it's an ex-girlfriend. Wait till you date a guy with mommy issues or cheating issues. Or amphetamine issues." That was Jenna. Amanda grinned at her.

The moment was interrupted by Jeremy that entered the house just in that moment. Amanda realized instantly that her little brother was high... again.

Jenna had probably realized too that something was wrong with him because she immediately left the kitchen and followed him in the hallway. "Jeremy? Jeremy, where were you?" She asked him, her voice raised like Amanda had never heard her use before.  
Jeremy looked at her for a second, smirked and said "More stoner stories? Look, Jenna, I get it, you were cool. And so that's. . .that's cool." He gestured with his hand, a mocking smile on his face, before making his way up the stairs.  
"Oh, no, no, no!" Jenna protested before grabbing an apple from the kitchen counter and threw it at Jeremy.  
Jeremy looked at her in disbelief for a second, like he couldn't believe their aunt could do something like this. "Ow! Why? Why. . .why did you do that?" The situation could have been funny if it wasn't so sad.  
"Listen up! Quit ditching class or you're grounded. No discussion." Jenna continued. Jeremy wasn't the least bit intimidated though. "Parental authority, I like it. Sleep tight." He mock-nodded at her before going up the stairs to his room. Amanda looked at Jenna with a frown. The situation was really, really bad.

* * *

It was the next day, late evening to be exact, and Elena and Bonnie were handing out flyers in preparation of the event of the night, the night the comet would pass over Mystic Falls. Amanda and Caroline were on the other side of the town square, doing the same thing.

"Tonight, night of the comet! Would you like a program?" Bonnie was saying before turning towards Elena. "He didn't call, huh?"  
Elena sighed and shook her head no. "Or text. But I realized we never even exchanged that stuff. We've never gotten to the texting part."  
Bonnie nodded. "That's an important milestone in any relationship."  
Elena agreed. "Isn't it?" She stayed silent for a second before sighing and saying. "The timing is wrong, anyway."  
Bonnie frowned at her. "When is it ever right?"  
Elena shook her head again. "I'm not ready, Bonnie."  
Bonnie looked a little exasperated now. "Who is?"  
"At least I put myself out there." Elena tried to defend herself.  
"Is that what you're calling it?" Bonnie raised an eyebrow at her, obviously skeptic.  
"What do you mean?" Asked Elena defensive.  
"All I'm hearing is reasons why you can't." Was Bonnie's only response. Elena looked at her for a long moment before sighing. "Yeah, well, maybe I think I'm wasting my time okay?"

"Wasting your time how?" Bonnie asked, obviously not understanding her point. Elena rolled her eyes. "Come on Bonnie, you know what I mean. I'm not sure Stefan is really interested in me. Actually I don't think he wants _me _at all."

"Why do you think that?" Bonnie asked bewildered.

"Because until two days ago he had eyes only for my sister and didn't seem to see anyone else in front of him. Then suddenly, bam, he seems interested in me. Amanda has obviously convinced him to turn his attentions towards me. And there's also the fact that he seems not to be over his ex from what Amanda has told me, at least that's what Stefan's older brother Damon told her. I don't want to be the second choice Bonnie." Elena sighed to herself, a little discomfited.

"I don't think it's like that at all. I saw you with him Elena. He genuinely likes you. He smiles around you, thing that - let's admit it - it's something he doesn't do often. Maybe, okay, he was interested in Amanda at first, but now he had the possibility to know you a little better and I know that he likes you, that he likes spending time with you. Don't let your insecurities stop you from getting what you want."

Elena smiled at Bonnie, a little reassured but not yet ready to hope. "I don't know Bonnie. I'm scared."

* * *

Night had fallen over the town square, the time for the comet to pass over Mystic Falls was almost there. Amanda looked around at all the people gathered for the event, trying to find her sister and friends in the crowd. In that moment she noticed Damon on the other side of the street, looking at her. She was about to join him when some people walked in front of her. A moment later, when her view was free again, the place where Damon was a second ago, was now empty. Amanda shook her head, confused, then shrugged. Caroline reached her side in that moment, a some white candles in her hand. "Hey, I got some candles." Caroline gave her one and then walked away to do the same thing to the others gathered there. Amanda looked at the candle for a second, checked that nobody was looking her way and then stared at the candle with intensity. A moment later a tiny flame was burning at the top of the candle. Amanda smiled satisfied. A second later Matt walked up to her. The moment was broken and the flame went out, the wick of the candle turning white again, like the flame had never touched it in the first place. "Ehy." She smiled at him. Matt smiled back at her and returned her greeting. He lighted up the candle with his own. "Thank you." Matt nodded at her. "You're welcome." Matt walked away and Amanda went up to someone else to lighted their candle. A moment later she looked up and saw Stefan coming her way. She sighed but smiled at him. "Hi."

"Hi." Stefan repeated. He hesitated a minute then said. "Listen, I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I wasn't myself."

"It's okay. I gathered it wasn't me you were upset with."

Stefan looked surprised at that, then upset. "What Damon told you?"

"Not much. I just realized that you and him have a really tense relationship."

Stefan sighed. "Yeah. Tense." He kept silent for a second then continued, his tone determined. "Damon is not a good guy, not matter what he seems. You should stay away from him, for your own good."

Amanda widened her eyes at that and then laughed, she really couldn't help it. Noticing Stefan's offended face, she sobered instantly and apologized. "I'm sorry, I wasn't laughing at you. It's just...we had a similar conversation this morning, me and Damon I mean... whatever, it doesn't matter. I thank you for your concern Stefan but you don't need to worry about me. First of all, I'm not hanging up with Damon, we met like...twice. I barely know him. And anyway, I know how to take care of myself. You don't need to protect me".

"I'm not joking Amanda. He could be... really dangerous."

"I understand what you're saying Stefan. But I'm sorry, it's not really any of your business who I spend my time with. And I know how to defend myself if the need arise okay? Now go to Elena, she had been staring at us talking for the last ten minutes." Stefan looked at Elena and smiled, before leaving Amanda's side to join her.

"Ehy" Stefan looked at her, a happy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maybe Amanda was right. Maybe he and Elena could be good together. Elena replied to his greeting but she seemed a little distant. Stefan lighted Elena's candle and then said "You know, that comet. . .it's been traveling across space for thousands of years. All alone."  
Elena grimaced a little. "Yeah, Bonnie says it's a harbinger of evil."  
Stefan shook his head. "I think it's just a ball of. . .snow and ice, trapped on a path that it can't escape. And once every 145 years, it gets to come home." He hesitated a little then continued. "I'm sorry about yesterday. That scene with my brother, I didn't want you to see that."

"You seem to spend a lot of time apologizing." Her tone was a little cold now.  
"Well, I have a lot to apologize for. Yesterday, that wasn't about you, ok?" Stefan tried to explain.  
"You didn't even tell me that you had a brother." Now her tone was obviously hurt.  
Stefan sighed. "We're not close. It's, uh. . .it's complicated."  
"Always. Damon told Amanda about your ex. Katherine. And of course she told me everything."  
"What did Damon say?" Stefan asked cautious.  
Elena shrugged. "Just that she broke your heart."  
Stefan shook his head. "That was a long time ago."  
"When you lose someone, it stays with you, always reminding you of how easy it is to get hurt."  
"Elena. . ." Stefan tried to say but Elena interrupted him.  
"It's OK, Stefan. I get it. You have no idea how much I get it. Complicated brother? Check. Complicated past relationships? I can understand. Too complicated to even contemplate dating? double check. It's OK. We met, and we talked, and it was epic, but. . .then the sun came up and reality set in. So. . ." Elena blew out her candle and walked away without another word.

* * *

Amanda was inside in the Grill when she noticed Elena entered, she looked upset.

"Ehy, you okay?" Amanda asked her. Elena nodded her head yes, but Amanda didn't believe her for a minute. "Has something happened with Stefan? Did you two have a fight?"

Elena looked at her and sighed. "Not really a fight just... we realized that it couldn't work between us."

Amanda looked at her astonished. "What? When you realized that? You're crazy about him Elena. Why are you giving up?"

"I'm not giving up. It's just that... it's too complicated right now okay? And maybe what I need is something simple, without complications."

"You mean something that is not love right? Because love is always complicated and messy, you realized that right?"

Elena shook her head but didn't answer her. The moment was interrupted by Jeremy and Tyler. The two of them were obviously arguing, about Vicky again. Amanda and Elena made their way besides them. Caroline and Bonnie were already near them, probably curious about what was going on.

"Hey, has anyone seen Vicky?" Jeremy asked them. Amanda shook her head, she had no idea where Vicky could be.  
"You're her stalker. You tell us." And that was Tyler. Amanda rolled her eyes, Tyler was such a douche.  
"I can't find her." Jeremy continued, ignoring Tyler. He was obviously worried.  
"She probably found somebody else to party with. Sorry, pill pusher, I guess you've been replaced." Tyler continued.  
"What's with the pill pusher?" Elena asked Jeremy with a suspicious tone.  
"Ask him." Tyler answered.  
Jeremy shook his head at her. "You wanna do this right now?"  
"Are you dealing?" Elena again.

"Elena, maybe now is not the right time..." Amanda tried to interject but Elena ignored her.  
"She's never gonna go for you." Tyler goaded Jeremy.  
Jeremy looked at Tyler with a slight smirk. "She already did. Over and over and over again."  
Amanda widened her eyes. "Okay, too much information Jeremy."

"Yeah, right." Tyler said, but it was obvious he kind of believed Jeremy's words.  
"You slept with Vicki Donovan? I mean, Vicki Donovan slept with you?" Caroline asked with her usual tact.  
"There's no way." Tyler shook his head.  
"And I didn't even have to force her into it." Jeremy said with fake nonchalance.  
"What the hell is he talking about, Ty?" Matt asked, having obviously heard Jeremy's words.  
"Nothing, man, just ignore him, he's a punk." Tyler said, defending himself. Amanda looked at him with disgust. It was obvious he had a guilty conscience. What Jeremy said was probably partly true.  
Matt shook his head. "You know what, how about all of you shut up and help me find my sister?"  
"Yeah, you're right." Amy agreed.

"We'll check the back." Bonnie said, leaving the Grill with Caroline.  
"I'll check the square." Matt said before leaving too. "I'll come with you." Jeremy tried to say but Elena immediately stopped him.  
"Oh, no, no, no. You are coming with me." Together, the three of them left the Grill in search of Vicky. "So that's your game now, dealing?"  
"I'm not dealing." Jeremy said with an exasperated tone.

"Elena calm down. You really believe Tyler, really? That guy is a complete dick besides being a bully."

Jeremy shoot her a grateful look but Elena ignored her, again.  
"Look, I'm sick of the tough love speech, Jer. It's clearly having no impact."  
"You and Amanda and Jenna, between the lot of you. Enough already!"  
"We can stop if you want. Send you to a therapist where you'll be forced to deal with it or to rehab where you'll sit in group and tell some stranger how you let your life fall apart. Or you could talk to me."

"I vote for none of the above." Was Jeremy's only answer. He left without another word.

"Okay, Elena, don't you think you're slightly exaggerating now?" Amanda tried to make her see reason.

"No, I don't think so. And why were you defending him? Don't you see that he's destroying himself piece by piece?"

"I know that he's having a hard time accepting the fact the our parents are dead. We're all trying to accept our loss in our own way. Jeremy's just trying to ignore the pain, he's trying not to think. I can understand that. What we need to do is be there for him when he's ready to talk. And of course I know that you're trying to protect him, I'm doing the same thing. I tried to talk to him before about the drugs. But the drugs are not the problem. The problem is his pain. He's suffering and he's shutting out everyone around him. We need to reach him without attacking him at every turn. He needs to trust us. And believing Tyler's words over his is not a good way to gain his trust."

Elena sighed. "You're right. I was really over the top. But I'm worried. I barely recognize him anymore."

"I know. I'm worried too." Amanda kept silent for a second, thinking but then said. "Come on, let's trying to find Vicky."

* * *

Stefan stared at Damon with worry. What had just happened with Vicky has proved to him once and for all that Damon was once again trying to ruin his life. When he came back to Mystic Falls he really thought that he could start over, forget about his past and his sins, meet Amanda and try to live a normal life in his home town. But you couldn't start over when you had a brother intent on destroying your life over and over again. Add the fact that Amanda wanted nothing to do with him and everything he imagined he could have when he returned to Mystic Falls was now nothing but a pipe dream. He had breathed a sigh of relief when Damon had compelled Vicky again after having convinced her that Stefan was the one who attacked her but he knew perfectly well that Damon hadn't done it because he was feeling guilty. Damon simply didn't want to end his game too soon, he wasn't done playing with Stefan. And his game would have ended if the Council had found out that he was a vampire. Stefan would have been killed and Damon would have to renounce his vengeance, think that he couldn't allow. It was nothing more than that. He just wished he knew what Damon was really planning, beside making his life hell of course.

"It's good to be home. Think I might stay a while. This town could use a bit of a wake-up call, don't you think?" Damon's words brought him back to the present. His older brother was smirking, obviously satisfied by what had transpired between them.  
"What are you up to, Damon?" Stefan asked directly, even if he knew he wouldn't get an answer.  
"That's for me to know and for you to. . .dot dot dot." Damon stopped speaking for a second before adding. "Give Elena my best. I'll see to Amanda myself. I think she likes me, don't you think?" Stefan glared at him at that and Damon laughed. "Oh don't be jealous Stefan. You have the other Gilbert twin all to yourself, don't you? Even if we both know it's not the one you're really interested in." Damon smirked some more before saying. "Smart girl Amanda. Really perceptive. She reminds so much of Katherine. And I'm not talking about her physical appearance... Well, I best go now. See you around little brother." And in an instant, he was gone.

* * *

"Ugh, it's just so much drama. Ever notice how the druggies are the biggest attention whores?" Caroline was saying. "Yeah." Bonnie was not really listening to her, just pretending to for her friend's sake. They were again at the Grill, the two of them like two nights ago, sitting around a table near the door.  
The moment was interrupted by Stefan Salvatore, Elena's possible boyfriend. "Excuse me. Hi." He was always so polite.  
"Hi." Bonnie answered with a smile.  
"Um, have you guys seen Elena?"

"I think she went home. I'm gonna give you Elena's cell number and her email. She is big on texting, and you can tell her... 'I said so'". She scribbled Elena's number and email on a napkin before offering it to Stefan.  
"Thank you." Stefan said. In that moment their hands touched and Bonnie shivered, a cold, empty feeling like anything she had ever felt before making her way inside her.  
"You ok?" Stefan asked her, bringing her back to the present. Bonnie withdrew her hand form Stefan's and got up.  
"What happened to you?" She asked before shaking her head, confused and upset. "That's so rude. I'm sorry. Excuse me." She left without a moment thought, leaving two very bewildered people staring after her.

* * *

Amanda couldn't believe Elena had left her there without a drive home just to go to Stefan's house. She had just left the Grill when she had noticed that the car was not parked where she had left it. And then she had received a message from her sister, saying that she had taken the car because she wanted to talk to Stefan. So now the only way to reach home was to walk, alone, in the dark, with wild animals - or vampires - probably roaming the town._ 'Thanks a lot Elena. If they try to kill me, I'll blame you!'_

There were times when she lamented the loss of her powers, now was one of those times. If she had still been a witch, she could have apparated directly in her room without breaking a sweat, instead she had to walk. She had been walking for about five minutes when she noticed a blue Camaro approaching her side. It was none other than Damon Salvatore - a possible vampire if her suspicions were correct -.

"Need a ride?" He asked her with his trademark smirk.

"It depends." She answered with a smile, hiding the fact that she was actually being serious. "Will you try to kill me?"

"Why do you think I'll try to kill you?" He was still smirking but his eyes were cautious.

"Oh, I don't know. You and me, alone in your car, nobody knowing where I am..."

"You and me together in my car, alone... it makes me think of other, more pleasurable, things to do with you thank kill you." He said suggestively, doing this thing with his eyes that would have appeared ridiculous on anyone else but that on his face looked sexy. Amanda laughed at that, rolling her eyes a little, before accepting the ride he was offering and climbing in his car.

"So, how come you don't have your car?" Damon asked her, as soon as she was safely ensconced in his car.

"Elena stole the car to go to the Boarding House to talk to Stefan." Amanda explained.

"Oh, sounds serious! Troubles in paradise already?" His tone was suddenly mocking. It happened every time Damon talked about his brother. Amanda didn't ask why though, she didn't want to pry, well, not yet at least.

"Actually I think they'll patch things up soon enough." She answered, sure of what she was saying.

"And what makes you think that?" Damon asked her, with a curious look her way.

"Because I know my sister. This evening she was trying to convince herself that leaving Stefan was the right thing, that it wasn't the right time, that she wasn't ready, but at the end of the day what drove her was simply fear. But she needed just a little nudge to give her relationship with Stefan a try. I gave her that little nudge and I think that was enough to convince her that it was worth it."

"And you think it is? Worth it?" Damon asked her, an intrigued expression on his face.

"Love always is." Amanda said with conviction. Damon looked intently at her for a long second before nodding almost imperceptibly with his head, silently agreeing with her statement.

The two of them didn't talk anymore until Damon had suddenly parked his car in front of her house.

"How did you know where I live?" Amanda asked him, suddenly realizing that she didn't give him any directions to reach her house.

"It's a little town. And I've lived in Mystic Falls before, some years ago. I know where the Gilbert family lives."

"Right." She hesitated a moment, about to say something else before changing her mind. "Thanks for the ride then Damon." She ended up saying then before leaving Damon's car. "See you around then."

"Let's hope it's soon, Miss Gilbert." Damon smirked at her before waving his hand slightly. He started up the engine again until he was out of the driveway. Amanda watched him go, a slight frown on her face. Then she shook her head and went inside.

She got up the stairs when she heard noises coming from Jeremy's room. Maybe now was a good time to talk to her little brother.

"Jer?" She called aloud. When she went into his room though, there's no Jeremy waiting inside, it's Jenna.

"No, it's me, the hypocrite patrol." Her aunt answered.  
"What are you doing?" Amanda asked her curiously.

"I've become my worst nightmare. The authority figure who has to violate a 15-year-old's privacy." Jenna was searching inside Jeremy's drawer when she noticed there was something inside one of his socks. Pot, to be precise. "Jackpot. I see the hiding places haven't gotten any more creative."  
"What brought this on?"  
"Your ass-hat of a history teacher shamed me good yesterday."  
Amanda nodded in understanding. "You got Tannered. Been there."  
"_'Discover the impossible, Ms. Summers.' _Got it. Thanks. Like I didn't know I was screwing up."  
"You're not screwing up, Aunt Jenna."  
Her aunt shook her head, dejected. "Yes, I am. You know why? Because I'm not her. She made everything look so easy. You know, high school, marriage, having you. I can't do it. I'm gonna say or do the wrong thing, and he's gonna get worse, and it's gonna be my fault. It's impossible."  
"This is just the fear talking. You're a little scared, that's all. But you're not alone Aunt Jenna. Me and Elena. We'll help, in any way we can, okay?"

* * *

Caroline had just left the Grill and was walking to her car, the parking lot seemed deserted. She suddenly heard something and stopped. She looked around her but she didn't noticed anything. She resumed walking until she reached her car. She heard another noise and the keys in her hand dropped on the ground. She picked them up from the ground and when she stood up she came face to face with the handsome man she had seen the day before yesterday at the Grill.

"Oh... whoa." She exclaimed, a little startled.  
The man smirked at her. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."  
Caroline shook her head. "No, it's fine. Um. . .I was hoping I'd see you again." She said sincerely.  
The man smirked again. "I know." He answered cockily.  
"Cocky much?" Caroline asked with a giggle.  
He smiled like at her, like a cat that ate the canary. "Very much." Caroline smiled coyly in return.

* * *

Elena had just parked outside the Salvatore Boarding House. She got out of her car and reached the high double doors at the entrance. She rang the bell and waited a few seconds. Stefan answered the door almost immediately.

"Hi." Stefan greeted her with a smile.  
Elena smiled in return. "Hey."  
"Would you like to come in?" Stefan invited immediately.  
Elena shook her head, no. "The comet's actually this way." She gestured with her hand towards the porch outside. Elena reached the porch and Stefan followed her.  
"Sorry for barging in. Especially after earlier." Elena immediately apologized, a little embarrassed.  
"No, no. I'm glad you're here. The way we left things... I didn't like it." Stefan said with a slight frown. The stood side by side, without saying anything for a few seconds. Elena took a deep breath, trying to find the courage to speak. "See, the thing is, I got home tonight planning on doing what I always do, write in my diary, like I have been since my mom gave me one when I was 10. It's where I get everything out, everything I'm feeling. It all goes in this little book that I hide on the second shelf behind this really hideous ceramic mermaid. But then I realized that I'd just be writing things that I should probably be telling you."  
Stefan looked at her intently. "What would you write?"  
Elena sighed. "I would write. . ._'Dear diary, today I convinced myself it was ok to give up. Don't take risks. Stick with the status quo. No drama, now is just not the time._' But then I remembered my talk with Bonnie and Amanda and I realized that they were right. My reasons aren't reasons, they're excuses. All I'm doing is hiding from the truth, and the truth is that. . .I'm scared, Stefan. I'm scared that if I let myself be happy for even one moment that. . .the world's just going to come crashing down, and I. . . don't know if I can survive that. Especially because I'm not sure if what you actually feel for me is real or if I am just your second choice."

Stefan sighed at that. "You're right. I can't certainly deny that when I came here, I was actually interested in Amanda." He hesitated a little before continuing. "But then I talked with Amanda yesterday and I realized that she was right. I don't actually know her. I think I had convinced myself that I liked her and I ended up ignoring what was right in front of me." He looked at her then. "I haven't even had a real conversation with her. But with you, we clicked, from the very first moment. I like talking with you, I like spending time with you. And I'd really, really like for us to give it a try. If you agree, of course." Elena smiled at him, a big, happy smile, for the first time since her parents died. "Yes, I'd like that." She looked at him, realizing that they were closer that she thought they were. When did they get so close? A moment later, they were kissing. And it was the best kiss of her life.


End file.
